social aggregate

A social aggregate is a collection of people who are in the same place at the same time, but who otherwise do not necessarily have anything in common, and who may not interact with each other. Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/aggregate-definition


An aggregate is a number of people or things that are being considered as a single thing.
[formal]
…society viewed as an aggregate of individuals

Source: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/


Interesting additional reading & notes:

< When Did Companies Become People? Excavating The Legal Evolution


The etymology of Aggregate

aggregate (adj.)

c. 1400, from Latin aggregatus “associated, united,” past participle of aggregare “add to (a flock), lead to a flock, bring together (in a flock),” figuratively “attach, join, include; collect, bring together,” from ad”to” (see ad-) + gregare “to collect into a flock, gather,” from grex (genitive gregis) “a flock” (from PIE root *ger- “to gather”).

also from c. 1400

aggregate (v.)

c. 1400, “bring together in a sum or mass,” from Latin aggregatus, past participle of aggregare”attach, join, include; collect, bring together,” literally “bring together in a flock,” from assimilated form of ad “to” (see ad-) + gregare “to collect into a flock, gather,” from grex (genitive gregis) “a flock” (from PIE root *ger- “to gather”). The intransitive meaning “come together in a sum or mass” is from 1855. Related: Aggregated; aggregating.

also from c. 1400

aggregate (n.)

“number of persons, things, etc., regarded as a unit,” early 15c., from Latin noun use of adjective aggregatum, neuter of aggregatus “associated, united,” literally “united in a flock” (see aggregate(adj.)).

also from early 15c.

Source: https://www.etymonline.com/word/aggregate


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