altogether
Meaning
completely or entirely
including everything or everyone; in total
used to emphasize a statement or opinion
Structure
Usage
The idea is not altogether unreasonable.
There were altogether about fifty people at the meeting.
Altogether, it was a fantastic holiday.
Etymology
The word 'altogether' is a compound formed in Middle English from the intensifying prefix 'al-' (a variant of 'all') and the adverb 'together'. The prefix 'al-' was used to add emphasis, meaning 'wholly' or 'completely', while 'together' conveyed the sense of union or combination. Literally, it meant 'all together' or 'wholly in one place'. Over time, this literal sense broadened to express the abstract ideas of completeness, totality, and emphasis, evolving from describing physical unity to signifying conceptual entirety or an all-encompassing condition.
Analysis
'al' is a Middle English prefix derived from Old English 'eall', meaning 'all, entirely'. 'together' is from Old English 'tōgædere', meaning 'into one gathering, in a group'.