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syncretical

 - 2 dictionary results

syn⋅cre⋅tism

  [sing-kri-tiz-uhm, sin-]
Use syncretical in a Sentence
–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.
Origin:
1610–20; < NL syncretismus < Gk synkrētismós union of Cretans, i.e., a united front of two opposing parties against a common foe, deriv. of synkrēt(ízein) to syncretize + -ismos -ism

Related forms:
syn⋅cret⋅ic  [sin-kret-ik] , syn⋅cret⋅i⋅cal, syn⋅cre⋅tis⋅tic  [sing-kri-tis-tik, sin-] , adjective
syn⋅cre⋅tist, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

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."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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