Make Your Point: CONCATENATE

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pronounce CONCATENATE:

con CAT 'n ate

Hear it.

connect this word to others:

Here's Kevin Stratvert demonstrating how to concatenate data in a spreadsheet. That's when you take multiple cells of data and squeeze them into one cell.

(Source)

As you can see, to concatenate things is to combine them by linking them together. Doing that in a spreadsheet is a pretty literal kind of concatenation.

Let's list some synonyms of concatenation: we've got linking; chaining; blending; connecting; combining; w__ding (bringing together in a strong, permanent way); jux____sing (placing things side-by-side); and am___amating (thoroughly blending different things).

Could you recall those last three?

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

The word "concatenate" has Latin bits that mean "to chain together."

To concatenate things (like thoughts or facts) is to link them all together into a chain.

Things can also concatenate on their own, meaning they link themselves or line themselves up in a row or a chain.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Verb, often the transitive kind: "We concatenated the facts."

Also the intransitive kind: "The facts concatenate."

Other forms:

Concatenated, concatenating, concatenation; concatenator(s).

For an adjective, there's "concatenate," spelled the same as the verb, or simply "concatenated." There's also a rarer adjective, "concatenary."

how to use it:

"Concatenate" is a semi-common, technical-sounding word. We'll focus on how to use it in a general context (rather than a technical one).

When you want to sound precise and mathematical, instead of saying that things link up, or chain, or form a tidy linear arrangement, say that they concatenate. Or, say that people concatenate facts, ideas, stories, or other tidbits.

As we'll see in the first example below, we can use "concatenation" as a hyponym (a more specific synonym) of "combination," for times when we're talking about a combination that specifically unites elements in a linear chain; and, we can use it as a hypernym (a less specific synonym) of "portmanteau," for times when we're talking about two or more words smashed together (such as "brunch" or "Spanglish") but we're concerned that our audience won't understand the word "portmanteau."

examples:

"[The name of the computer language] FORTRAN is a concatenation of 'formula' and 'translating system,' and it quickly became the lingua franca for all scientists who desired to accelerate their research."
— Preston MacDougall, Los Angeles Times, 29 March 2007

"In any collection [of stories] worth our admiration, the end and shape of one story should cast its shadow over the next, and so on, until they all concatenate and form a greater shape by book's end."
— Ander Monson, Los Angeles Times, 19 February 2015

has this page helped you understand "concatenate"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "concatenate" without saying "link up" or "connect the dots."

try it out:

If you enjoy scrolling through sites like Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, or Instagram—or if you've ever fallen into a Wikipedia hole—then you know how the posts and stories and articles concatenate. They link up into an infinite chain. You could scroll or click forever.

The same thing happens if you watch HGTV. One episode of House Hunters ends and another begins, with no commercials to nudge you off the sofa.

Concatenated content, I'd argue, is both fantastic and painfully addictive. Do you agree, and why or why not? Have you ever gotten trapped in concatenated content?

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for March: it's the Inkhorn Stinkhorn!

It’s inspired by the Twofer Goofer, created by Collin Waldoch, in which you're given a circumlocutory clue, like "An eater with an excessive appetite for clothes fasteners," and you provide a rhyming answer, in this case "button glutton." You're then treated to an AI-generated rendering of the goofy concept you just named. In general in the Twofer Goofer, the words are straightforward and the AI art is lovely.

But here in the Inkhorn Stinkhorn, the words are pedantic and the AI art is atrocious. Enjoy!

Try this one today: Name a two-word rhyming phrase that means "an apparatus that links two oxen and mysteriously emits wispy vapors."

Clue #1: To reveal the first letter of each word, highlight the following text… s____ y___

Clue #2: To reveal one of the words, highlight the following text… smoke y___

For the answer, scroll all the way down!

review this word:

1. One opposite of CONCATENATED is

A. DOGGED.
B. MOISTENED.
C. DISJOINTED.

2. Casual speech is heavily peppered with concatenators: _____.

A. mmhmm, right, uh-uh
B. like, ya know, literally
C. and then, and so, but then

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
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  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
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How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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