Intermixing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process of merging or blending varying elements to create a homogenous mixture involves uniting distinct components into one collective form
2. This method entails the combination of different items into a single coherent entity by mixing them thoroughly
3. The act of combining various substances or elements together results in a blended mixture that maintains the characteristics of each component

Etymology: "Mix" began as a shortened form of an older participle. English borrowed "mixt" from the Latin "mixtus", the past participle of "miscere", "to mix." Speakers then treated the "-t" ending as if it were part of the stem and made a new verb, "mix," by dropping it. The English verb is therefore a back-formation from a participle, not the direct descendant of the Latin verb. "Intermix" adds the Latin prefix "inter-", meaning "between" or "among," so the sense is of things blended with one another. The "-ing" ending makes the form a participle or gerund, describing the blending while it is happening. The same Latin root "miscere" also lies behind "miscellaneous" and "promiscuous," which originally meant "mixed together indiscriminately."

Synonyms: mixing, blending, combining

Antonyms: separating, dividing