conflate

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /kənˈfleɪt/ UK /kənˈfleɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to combine two or more ideas or things into one, often mistakenly

Critics conflate the author with the narrator of his novels.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to combine two or more... merge combine fuse blend amalgamate mingle coalesce

Opposites

separate distinguish differentiate divide

Word family

Derived forms conflation

Related forms inflatedeflate

Simplified etymology

Conflate comes from Latin conflare, meaning “kindle” or “fuse,” formed from con- “together” and flare “to blow.” Its early English meaning was “fuse or melt down metal.”

Etymology

From Latin conflatus, past participle of conflare ('to blow together, fuse, melt down'), from con- ('together') + flare ('to blow').

conflare Latin flare Latin *bʰleh₁- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# conflate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /kənˈfleɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /kənˈfleɪt/

## Meanings
1. to combine two or more ideas or things into one, often mistakenly

## Examples
- Critics conflate the author with the narrator of his novels.

## Synonyms
- merge
- combine
- fuse
- blend
- amalgamate
- mingle
- coalesce

## Antonyms
- separate
- distinguish
- differentiate
- divide

## Derived Forms
- conflation

## Related Forms
- inflate
- deflate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: conflare
- Root: flare
- Root: *bʰleh₁-

## Etymology
From Latin conflatus, past participle of conflare ('to blow together, fuse, melt down'), from con- ('together') + flare ('to blow').

## AI Etymology
Conflate is a verb meaning "to combine two or more ideas or things into one, often mistakenly". Historically, it is from Latin conflatus, past participle of conflare ('to blow together, fuse, melt down'), from con- ('together') + flare ('to blow'). The visible construction is part of the etymology: conflate is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Latin conflare, Latin flare, and Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₁-. Close English family members include conflation, inflate, and deflate.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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