n. (pl. syntheses)
1. the process or result of building up separate elements, esp. ideas, into a connected whole, esp. into a theory or system.
2 a combination or composition.
3 Chem. the artificial production of compounds from their constituents as distinct from extraction from plants etc.
4 Gram. a the process of making compound and derivative words. b the tendency in a language to use inflected forms rather than groups of words, prepositions, etc.
5 the joining of divided parts in surgery.
Derivatives:
synthesist n.
Etymology: L f. Gk sunthesis (as SYN-, THESIS)