syncretism

American  

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

noun

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

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

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” ( syncretize ) + -ismos noun suffix ( -ism )

Example Sentences

The dances, which reflect Mexican syncretism, went on for hours.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Seattle Times

He said 94% of the parents he studied embraced “a disparate, irreconcilable collection of beliefs” he called syncretism.

From Washington Times

The Empress of the Americas and the patron saint of Mexico, this brown-skinned apparition of the Virgin Mary also represents the power of syncretism, since she’s a combination of European and Indigenous traditions.

From Los Angeles Times

Punjab, where people are deeply proud of their state’s religious syncretism, is a test for the Hindu nationalist reach of Modi’s party, which has flourished in most of northern India since 2014.

From Seattle Times