Syncretism - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

syn·cre·tism

Audio Help [sing-kri-tiz-uh

m, sin-] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	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: 1610–20; < NL syncretismus < Gk synkrétismós union of Cretans, i.e., a united front of two opposing parties against a common foe, deriv. of synkrét(ízein) to syncretize + -ismos -ism

]

—Related forms

syn·cret·ic

Audio Help [sin-kret-ik] Pronunciation Key, syn·cret·i·cal, syn·cre·tis·tic

Audio Help [sing-kri-tis-tik, sin-] Pronunciation Key, adjective

syn·cre·tist, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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Syncretism

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

syn·cre·tism Audio Help (sĭng'krĭ-tĭz'əm, sĭn'-) Pronunciation Key
n.

Reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief, as in philosophy or religion, especially when success is partial or the result is heterogeneous.
Linguistics The merging of two or more originally different inflectional forms.

[Greek sunkrētismos, union, from sunkrētizein, to unite (in the manner of the Cretan cities) : sun-, syn- + Krēs, Krēt-, Cretan.]

syn·cret'ic (-krět'ĭk), syn'cre·tis'tic (-krĭ-tĭs'tĭk) adj., syn'cre·tist n.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
syncretism

"reconciliation of different beliefs," 1618, from Mod.L. syncretismus (David Pareus, 1615), from Gk. synkretismos "union of communities," from synkretizein "to combine against a common enemy," from syn- + srcond element of uncertain origin. One theory connects it with kretismos "lying," from kretizein "to lie like a Cretan;" another connects it with the stem of kerannynai "to mix, blend;" krasis "mixture."

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

syncretism
noun
1.	the union (or attempted fusion) of different systems of thought or belief (especially in religion or philosophy); "a syncretism of material and immaterial theories"
2.	the fusion of originally different inflected forms (resulting in a reduction in the use of inflections)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Syncretism

Syn"cre*tism\, n. (Philol.) The union or fusion into one of two or more originally different inflectional forms, as of two cases.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Syncretism

Syn"cre*tism\, n. [Gr. ?, fr. ? to make two parties join against a third: cf. F. syncr['e]tisme.] Attempted union of principles or parties irreconcilably at variance with each other.

He is plotting a carnal syncretism, and attempting the reconcilement of Christ and Belial. --Baxter.

Syncretism is opposed to eclecticism in philosophy. --Krauth-Fleming.

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