[syn.cre.tism] n [NL syncretismus, fr. Gk synkretismos federation of Cretan cities, fr. syn- + Kret-, Kres Cretan] (1618) 1: the combination of different forms of belief or practice
2: the fusion of two or more orig. different inflectional forms -- syn.cre.tist n or adj -- syn.cre.tis.tic adj