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syncretism - 5 dictionary results

syn⋅cre⋅tism

  [sing-kri-tiz-uhm, sin-]
Use syncretism 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.
Cite This Source Link To syncretism
syn·cre·tism   (sĭng'krĭ-tĭz'əm, sĭn'-)   
n.  
  1. Reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief, as in philosophy or religion, especially when success is partial or the result is heterogeneous.
  2. 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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Syncretism

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

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.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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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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