syncretic

American  

[sin-kret-ik] / sɪnˈkrɛt ɪk /

Also syncretistic rarely syncretical

adjective

1. combining or bringing together different philosophical, religious, or cultural principles and practices.

   The Afro-Brazilian religion is syncretic, mingling the pantheon, practices, and beliefs brought to South America by enslaved Yorubans with the Catholicism of colonial European culture.

   Exceptional syncretic murals can be found at the site, the work of Indigenous artists who struggled with and adapted unfamiliar European subject matter after the Spanish Conquest.

2. Grammar. relating to or describing the merging of two or more inflectional categories into one.

   When word forms in a paradigm are syncretic, they can result in grammatical ambiguity because one form can have multiple functions.

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Etymology

Origin of syncretic

syncret(ism) ( def. ) + -ic

Example Sentences

They tapped into the island’s deep, syncretic, Afro-Cuban culture, criticized harsh living conditions and gave voice to people’s resentment of daily censorship and the pain of families whose loved ones emigrated.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

The ritual is syncretic -- blending Mayan and Catholic traditions.

From Barron's • Oct. 22, 2025

“Home Counties,” from 2017, included “Whyteleafe,” a syncretic gem of harpsichord-fueled baroque, electro bass lines and vocals that both cherish and recreate the delights of vintage British pop.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 16, 2025

The syncretic religion that melds Catholicism with animist beliefs has no official leader or creeds.

From Seattle Times • May 9, 2024

To deal with some aspects of this extremely difficult problem we can start with the original syncretic condition of the human being.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai