synthesis

[sin-thuh-sis]

noun

plural

syntheses 

1. the combining of the constituent elements of separate material or abstract entities into a single or unified entity (analysis ).

2. a complex whole formed by combining.

3. Chemistry.,  the forming or building of a more complex substance or compound from elements or simpler compounds.

4. Philosophy.,  the third stage of argument in Hegelian dialectic, which reconciles the mutually contradictory first two propositions, thesis and antithesis.

5. Biology.,  modern synthesis, a consolidation of the results of various lines of investigation from the 1920s through the 1950s that supported and reconciled the Darwinian theory of evolution and the Mendelian laws of inheritance in terms of natural selection acting on genetic variation.

6. Psychology, Psychiatry.,  the integration of traits, attitudes, and impulses to create a total personality.

synthesis

/ ˈsɪnθɪsɪs /

noun

1. the process of combining objects or ideas into a complex whole Compare analysis

2. the combination or whole produced by such a process

3. the process of producing a compound by a chemical reaction or series of reactions, usually from simpler or commonly available starting materials

4. linguistics the use of inflections rather than word order and function words to express the syntactic relations in a language Compare analysis

5. archaic,  philosophy synthetic reasoning

6. philosophy

   1. (in the writings of Kant) the unification of one concept with another not contained in it Compare analysis

   2. the final stage in the Hegelian dialectic, that resolves the contradiction between thesis and antithesis

synthesis

plural

syntheses 

1. The formation of a chemical compound through the combination of simpler compounds or elements.

Other Word Forms

• synthesist noun
• nonsynthesis noun
• resynthesis noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of synthesis¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin, from Greek sýnthesis, from syn- syn- + the- (stem of tithénai “to put, place”) + -sis -sis

Word History and Origins

Origin of synthesis¹

C17: via Latin from Greek sunthesis, from suntithenai to put together, from _syn- + tithenai to place

Example Sentences

This type of mentality is a relatively recent synthesis of fundamentalist religion and fundamentalist Americanism, very often with a heavy overlay of severe fundamentalist morality.

From Salon

The making of “Industry” over four seasons is a synthesis of many things.

From Los Angeles Times

"The other issue that will affect industry is the risks that they talk about about nucleic acid synthesis screening."

From Salon

He also had differences with fellow Jesuits who believed Bergoglio lacked interest in liberation theology - that synthesis of Christian thought and Marxist sociology which sought to overthrow injustice.

From BBC

What I have provided hardly qualifies as a synthesis but more as an abridged list of a few messages that may emerge if we stop and reflect.

From Salon

Related Words

• amalgam 
• fusion