ETYM Latin integratio a renewing, restoring: cf. French intégration.
(business) merger of two firms. Vertical integration occurs if the two firms are at different stages of the production process. Forward integration occurs when a firm takes over a company which buys its products, such as an automobile manufacturer taking over an automobile dealership. Backward integration occurs when one firm takes over another which supplies it, such as an automobile manufacturer taking over an automobile components company. Horizontal integration occurs if the two firms are at the same stage of the production process, such as one automobile manufacturer merging with another automobile manufacturer.1. An operation used in the calculus whereby the integral of a function is determined.
2. The action of incorporating a racial or religious group into a community; SYN. integrating, desegregation.

In mathematics, specifically calculus, a procedure performed on an equation and related to finding the area under a given curve or the volume within a given shape.
In mathematics, a method in calculus of determining the solutions of definite or indefinite integrals. An example of a definite integral can be thought of as finding the area under a curve (as represented by an algebraic expression or function) between particular values of the function's variable. In practice, integral calculus provides scientists with a powerful tool for doing calculations that involve a continually varying quantity (such as determining the position at any given instant of a space rocket that is accelerating away from Earth). Its basic principles were discovered in the late 1660s independently by the German philosopher Leibniz and the British scientist Newton.

1. In computing, the combining of different activities, programs, or hardware components into a functional unit. See also integral modem, integrated software, ISDN.
2. In electronics, the process of packing multiple electronic circuit elements on a single chip. See also integrated circuit.