Meaning

noun the union (or attempted fusion) of different systems of thought or belief (especially in religion or philosophy)

noun the fusion of originally different inflected forms (resulting in a reduction in the use of inflections)

originFrom Latin syncretismus, from Ancient Greek συγκρητισμός (sunkrētismós, “federation of Cretan cities”), from συγκρητίζω (sunkrētízō, “to unite against a common enemy”), from σύν (sún, “together”) (see English syn-) + Κρῆτες (Krêtes, “Cretans”). By surface analysis, syn- + Crete + -ism (“Crete joining together”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0