syncretism
[ sing-kri-tiz-uh m, sin- ]
/ ˈsɪŋ krɪˌtɪz əm, ˈsɪn- /
noun
the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles, practices, or parties, as in philosophy or religion.
Grammar.
the merging, as by historical change in a language, of two or more categories in a specified environment into one, as, in nonstandard English, the use of was with both singular and plural subjects, while in standard English was is used with singular subjects (except for you in the second person singular) and were with plural subjects.
Origin of syncretism
1610–20; < New Latin
syncretismus < Greek
synkrētismós union of Cretans, i.e., a united front of two opposing parties against a common foe, derivative of
synkrēt(ízein) to
syncretize +
-ismos
-ism
OTHER WORDS FROM syncretism
syn·cret·ic [sin-kret-ik] /sɪnˈkrɛt ɪk/, syn·cret·i·cal, syn·cre·tis·tic [sing-kri-tis-tik, sin-] /ˌsɪŋ krɪˈtɪs tɪk, ˌsɪn-/, adjective syn·cre·tist, nounWords nearby syncretism
syncopate,
syncopated,
syncopation,
syncope,
syncopic,
syncretism,
syncretize,
syncrisis,
syncytial knot,
syncytiotrophoblast,
syncytium
Example sentences from the Web for syncretism
British Dictionary definitions for syncretism
syncretism
/ (ˈsɪŋkrɪˌtɪzəm) /
noun
the tendency to syncretize
the historical tendency of languages to reduce their use of inflection, as in the development of Old English with all its case endings into Modern English
Derived forms of syncretism
syncretic (sɪŋˈkrɛtɪk) or syncretistic, adjective syncretist, nounWord Origin for syncretism
C17: from New Latin
syncrētismus, from Greek
sunkrētismos alliance of Cretans, from
sunkrētizein to join forces (in the manner of the Cretan towns), from
syn- +
Krēs a Cretan