Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1100-1200
Origin: all 'everything, everyone' + together

altogether

1 adverb
     
al‧to‧geth‧er1 S2 W3
1 used to emphasize that something has been done completely or has finished completely:
an old custom that has vanished altogether
Congress could ban the procession altogether.
2 [+adjective/adverb] used to emphasize that the way you describe something is completely true:
In Canada, the situation is altogether different.
This latest problem is altogether more serious.
not altogether (=not completely)
I wasn't altogether happy about Mike staying over.
The results were not altogether surprising.
3 used to show that you are referring to the total amount:
There were five people altogether.
How much do I owe you altogether?
4 used to make a final statement about several things you have just mentioned [= all in all]:
Lots of sunshine, wonderful food, and amazing nightlife - altogether a great vacation!
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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