sum of its parts

noun

A group which can be seen as a mere juxtaposition of the elements that compose it; a collection of things in which there is no new property or added value that emerges from the interactions between its parts.

“Together, the ant colony was greater than the sum of its parts.”

Similar
SOP
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Meanings

nounsum of its parts (plural sums of their parts)

plural sums of their parts · alternative sum of parts

  1. A group which can be seen as a mere juxtaposition of the elements that compose it; a collection of things in which there is no new property or added value that emerges from the interactions between its parts.

    Together, the ant colony was greater than the sum of its parts.

    1 more example

    The whole is different from the sum of its parts.

    4th century BCE, Aristotle, Metaphysics

    Synonyms: SOP, SoP

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA group which can be seen as a mere juxtaposition of the elements that compose it; a collection of things in which there is no new property or added value that emerges from the interactions between its parts.

Similar
SOPSoP

Translations

German Summe seiner Teile
  • Summe seiner TeileTranslations
Hungarian a részek/részei(nek) összege/összessége/együttese
  • a részek/részei(nek) összege/összessége/együtteseTranslations
Polish suma części składowych
  • suma części składowychTranslations
Russian сумма его частей
  • сумма его частей (summa jevo častej)Translations
Cite this entry
APA

sum of its parts. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sum%20of%20its%20parts

MLA

“sum of its parts.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sum%20of%20its%20parts. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sum of its parts,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sum%20of%20its%20parts.

Source: sum of its parts on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.