Jump to content

integration - Word of the Day - Thu Mar 12, 2026


Quote

integration - (n) - the unification of conflicting aspects into a coherent whole

200.gif

Quote

Integration allowed past and present to coexist without conflict.

Quote

Author tip: Integration often signals the end of an internal arc.
Genre tags: Literary, Drama

 

  • Like 8

4 Comments


Recommended Comments

Bill W

Posted

"Integration" (n.) originated in the 1610s to mean "the act of bringing together the parts of a whole," derived from Late Latin integrationem ("renewal, restoration") and the Latin integrare ("to make whole").  It stems from the Proto Indo-European root tag- ("to touch") and Latin integer ("untouched, whole").  It meant restoring or renewing something, or making it complete.   The social/political sense of bringing parts together was established by the 1610s.   The mathematical context of the word refers to the process of obtaining an integral.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the noun "integration" in English is from the early 1600s, specifically cited in 1620 in the writings of Thomas Granger, a Church of England clergyman.  Integrate (verb) was first used in the mid-1600s (1638, William Chillingworth).  Integrate (adjective) was first used during the Middle English period, 1485.  Integrated (adjective) was first used in the late 1500s (before 1586, Sir Philip Sidney).  The usage relating to anti-discrimination or desegregation (opposed to segregation) is recorded from the 1930s.

.
  • Like 5

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...