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REFERENCE

merger

n.
US //ˈmɝdʒɝ// UK //mˈɜːdʒɐ// merg·er
  1. 1 business/corporate (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    the joining of two or more companies to form one larger company.

    the legal and financial union of two or more corporations into a single entity, where assets and liabilities are typically consolidated.

    Example

    The merger of the two banks will create the largest financial group in the country.

    Example

    Following months of intense negotiations, the board of directors finally approved the merger, citing significant potential for operational synergies and market expansion.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'between' or 'of'.
  2. 2 general joining (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    the act of combining two or more parts into one single unit.

    the process of merging distinct parts, elements, or groups into a unified whole.

    Example

    The merger of different artistic styles created a unique and modern look for the building.

    Example

    The proposed merger of the two departments met with resistance from staff who feared a loss of their specific professional identity.

    Usage

    Commonly used in academic or technical writing to describe the blending of abstract concepts.
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  1. 3 linguistics (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    when two different sounds in a language become the same sound over time.

    a sound change in which two or more phonemes that were previously distinct merge into a single phoneme.

    Example

    In some accents, there is a merger between the sounds in 'cot' and 'caught'.

    Example

    The historical merger of these two vowels in Middle English explains why many words that were once pronounced differently now rhyme perfectly.
    • phonetic convergence
Etymology 1

From merge + -er.

Etymology 2

From Anglo-Norman merger (verb used as noun).

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