syncretism

American  

[sing-kri-tiz-uhm, sin-] / ˈsɪŋ krɪˌtɪz əm, ˈsɪn- /

noun

syncretisms plural

1. the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles, practices, or parties, as in philosophy or religion.

2. 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.

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syncretism British  

/ sɪŋˈkrɛtɪk, ˈsɪŋkrɪˌtɪzəm /

noun

1. the tendency to syncretize

2. 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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• syncretist
  noun
• syncretic
  adjective
• syncretical
  adjective
• syncretistic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• syncretisms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of syncretism

First recorded in 1610–20; from New Latin syncretismus, from Greek synkrētismós “union of Cretans,” i.e., a united front of two opposing parties against a common foe, derivative of synkrēt(ízein) “to form a confederation” ( see syncretize) + -ismos noun suffix ( see -ism)

Explanation

Syncretism is a union or attempted fusion of different religions, cultures, or philosophies — like Halloween, which has both Christian and pagan roots, or the combination of Aristotelian philosophy with the belief system of the early punk rock practitioners. Syncretism may apply to something whose parts sync well, like salsa dance (a merging combination of African, Latin American, and European cultures), or something whose parts merge less successfully. Syncretism is also a word used for merging different inflection word forms, so that a word can serve more than one function. Examples in English are you, which can be an object or a subject, or pet, which is the same in the past and present tense.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

syncretism syncretisms

Isidora is an example of ancient syncretism at work: a Greek woman, painted in a Roman tradition, whose burial followed Egyptian customs of mummification.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026

His style on the piano carries the relaxed tension of a man for whom syncretism comes naturally, East and West, sun and sorrow.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2026

Day of the Dead is one of Mexico’s great visual spectacles — and a celebration of cultural syncretism.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 31, 2023

Once Islam reached the savanna south of the Sahara, ruling African elites adopted it, and in some cases they blended it with their traditional beliefs, a process called syncretism.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022

The truth is, that Gnosticism did not purport to be a Christian system, except by a kind of syncretism to reconcile different faiths.

From The Eliminator; or, Skeleton Keys to Sacerdotal Secrets by Westbrook, Richard B.

There are many such imperfect syncretisms or eclecticisms in the history of philosophy.

From Sophist by Plato