syncretism
Use Syncretism in a sentence
krɪˌtɪz 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; < Neo-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
1610–20; < Neo-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 forms
syn·cre·tist, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To syncretism
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Syncretism
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Collins
World English Dictionary
syncretism (ˈsɪŋkrɪˌtɪzəm) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 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 |
| [C17: from New Latin syncrētismus, from Greek sunkrētismos alliance of Cretans, from sunkrētizein to join forces (in the manner of the Cretan towns), from | |
| syncretic | |
| —adj | |
| syncre'tistic | |
| —adj | |
| 'syncretist | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
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, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
But this was a land where orthodoxy has historically been bested by the easy joys of syncretism.
Decades of syncretism have created all sorts of hybrids.
She is the ultimate indicator of syncretism, the conciliation of conflicting models of belief.
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