Aggregate is generally accepted as meaning a collection, build-up or pile of anything, such as aggregate leaf litter, aggregate income or aggregate rock. The Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines aggregate as: "clustered in a dense mass or head...", as well as "taking all units as a whole." The term aggregate is probably most commonly used in the construction trades, and more specifically, the
. concrete trade, although, it is also quite common in finance, biology and medical terminology. Aggregate, in terms of concrete, is the rock that is mixed in with the concrete for a filler and binder, along with the other materials and active agents. The size and type of the rock depends on the application in question, with smoother jobs requiring smaller aggregate and less detailed back-fill applications using larger rocks. Aggregate is quite often used in financial terms as well, with the phrase 'aggregate income' being the most common. This is basically a way of saying 'all of a certain income', in a more concise manner. An example is in designating a specific type of income, such as 'aggregate sales', denoting the overall inclusion of that type of income. In other words, the total sales figures. Terms that include 'aggregate annual sales' and 'aggregate quarterly sales' follow the same reasoning. In biological and medical terminology, aggregate is used to denote "a collection of particles or units into a mass or amount...", much the same as in other references. Aggregate can be used as both a noun and a verb, without any modification to the spelling. One example is the phrase, 'it will aggregate over time.' Some of the more common synonyms for aggregate include, but are not limited to: amass, accumulate and assemble. Online outlets that include www.Dictionary.com and www.Merriam-Webster.com have more information, in-depth definitions and links to other references and similar words. More Reference Links: http://www.Dictionary.com http://www.Merriam-Webster.com
