integration
    n 1: the action of incorporating a racial or religious group
         into a community [syn: integration, integrating,
         desegregation] [ant: segregation, sequestration]
    2: the act of combining into an integral whole; "a consolidation
       of two corporations"; "after their consolidation the two
       bills were passed unanimously"; "the defendants asked for a
       consolidation of the actions against them" [syn:
       consolidation, integration]
    3: an operation used in the calculus whereby the integral of a
       function is determined

Integration \In`te*gra"tion\ ([i^]n`t[-e]*gr[=a]"sh[u^]n), n.
   [L. integratio a renewing, restoring: cf. F. int['e]gration.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. The act or process of making whole or entire.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Math.) The operation of finding the primitive function
      which has a given function for its differential
      coefficient. See Integral.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: The symbol of integration is [integral2l] (standing for
         the Latin summa sum), and the integral is also regarded
         as the limiting value of the sum of great numbers of
         differentials, when the magnitude of the differentials
         decreases, and their number increases indefinitely. See
         Limit, n. When the summation is made between
         specified values of the variable, the result is a
         definite integral, and those values of the variable
         are the limits of the integral. When the summation is
         made successively for two or more variables, the result
         is a multiple integral.
         [1913 Webster]

   3. In the theory of evolution: The process by which the
      manifold is compacted into the relatively simple and
      permanent. It is supposed to alternate with
      differentiation as an agent in development.
      [1913 Webster]

integration

    Combining software or hardware components or
   both into an overall system.

   (1996-05-22)