Aggregately

Aggregately is an adverb formed from the noun aggregate with the -ly suffix. It denotes that elements are considered together as a whole rather than individually. The term is used in statistics, economics, data reporting, and research writing to describe results produced by combining data from multiple units or categories.

Usage and nuance: Aggregately describes totals, averages, or patterns observed when data are pooled across groups. It emphasizes the overall effect rather than granular, per-unit details. For example, statements like “Sales rose aggregately across all regions” or “Aggregately, emissions increased by 2%” signal that the measure reflects the collective result across components, not the performance of a single part.

Common usage notes: Aggregately is relatively formal and technical. In many contexts, writers prefer the phrases “in aggregate,” “overall,” or “cumulatively,” which convey the same idea with broader familiarity. Aggregately may appear in technical reports, academic articles, or methods sections where precise language about data pooling is important.

Etymology and related terms: Aggregately derives from aggregate, which refers to a total formed by combining individual elements. Related terms include aggregation (the process of combining) and cumulatively (in a cumulative manner). While closely related, the noun or adjective forms of aggregate and the adverbial aggregately serve different grammatical roles in discourse.

See also: aggregate, aggregation, cumulatively, in aggregate, overall.