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syncretism

[ sing-kri-tiz-uh m, sin- ]
/ ˈsɪŋ krɪˌtɪz əm, ˈsɪn- /
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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.

Nearby words

  1. syncopated,
  2. syncopation,
  3. syncope,
  4. syncopic,
  5. syncretic,
  6. syncretize,
  7. syncrisis,
  8. syncytial,
  9. syncytial knot,
  10. syncytiotrophoblast

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
Related formssyn·cret·ic [sin-kret-ik] /sɪnˈkrɛt ɪk/, syn·cret·i·cal, syn·cre·tis·tic [sing-kri-tis-tik, sin-] /ˌsɪŋ krɪˈtɪs tɪk, ˌsɪn-/, adjectivesyn·cre·tist, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for syncretic

British Dictionary definitions for syncretic

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 Formssyncretic (sɪŋˈkrɛtɪk) or syncretistic, adjectivesyncretist, noun

Word 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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012