ˈsiŋkrəˌtizəm, ˈsink- noun
( -s )
Etymology: New Latin syncretismus, from Greek synkrētismos federation of Cretan cities, from synkrētizein to unite against a common enemy
1. : the reconciliation or union of conflicting (as religious) beliefs or an effort intending such ; specifically : a movement of a Lutheran party in the 17th century led by George Calixtus seeking the union of Protestant sects with each other and with the Roman Catholic Church
2. : flagrant compromise in religion or philosophy : eclectricism that is illogical or leads to inconsistency : uncritical acceptance of conflicting or divergent beliefs or principles
3. : the developmental process of historical growth within a religion by accretion and coalescence of different and often originally conflicting forms of belief and practice through the interaction with or supersession of other religions
4. : the union or fusion into one of two or more originally different inflectional forms