integration
UK[ˌɪntɪˈɡreɪʃn]US[ˌɪntɪˈɡreɪʃn]
n
The act or process of combining two or more things so that they work together effectively.
n
The process of becoming accepted as a member of a group, especially when coming from a different culture or background.
n
(Mathematics) The process of finding the integral of a function.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
tegrate
ion
in
not
tegrate
to touch
ion
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'integration' originates from the Latin verb integrāre, meaning "to make whole, to renew," which itself is derived from the adjective integer, signifying "whole, untouched, intact." The core concept is of restoring something to its original, unblemished state of completeness. The prefix in- here functions as an intensifier, reinforcing the action of making whole. Over time, the meaning evolved from the literal sense of physical restoration to the more abstract social, mathematical, and systemic processes of combining parts into a seamless, functional whole.
Analysis
Structure: in (not) + tegrate (to touch) + ion (noun suffix)
- in-: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "in, into, on, toward" or, in this case, serving as an intensifier.
- tegrate: Derived from the Latin root integrāre, meaning "to make whole, renew," from integer ("whole, untouched").
- -ion: Latin suffix -iōn-, forming nouns of action or state.
Examples
The successful integration of new software into the existing system took several months.
Social integration of immigrants is a key challenge for many modern societies.
In calculus, integration is the inverse operation of differentiation.