synthesis

English Online Dictionary. What means synthesis‎? What does synthesis mean?

English

Etymology

From Latin synthesis, from Ancient Greek σύνθεσις (súnthesis, “a putting together; composition”), from συντίθημι (suntíthēmi, “put together, combine”), from συν- (sun-, “together”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “set, place”). Doublet of sandhi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɪnθəsɪs/
• Hyphenation: syn‧the‧sis

Noun

synthesis (countable and uncountable, plural syntheses)

1. The formation of something complex or coherent by combining simpler things.
2. (signal processing) Creation of a complex waveform by summation of simpler waveforms.
3. (chemistry) The reaction of elements or compounds to form more complex compounds.
4. (logic) A deduction from the general to the particular.
5. (philosophy) The combination of thesis and antithesis.
6. (military) In intelligence usage, the examining and combining of processed information with other information and intelligence for final interpretation.
7. (rhetoric) An apt arrangement of elements of a text, especially for euphony.
8. (grammar) The uniting of ideas into a sentence.
9. (medicine) The reunion of parts that have been divided.
10. An Ancient Roman dining-garment.

Antonyms

• analysis

Derived terms

Related terms

• synthesize
• synthetic

Translations

Further reading

• “synthesis”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “synthesis”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek σύνθεσις (súnthesis, “a putting together; composition”), from συντίθημι (suntíthēmi, “put together, combine”), from σύν (sún, “together”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “set, place”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈsyn.tʰe.sis/, [ˈs̠ʏn̪t̪ʰɛs̠ɪs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈsin.te.sis/, [ˈsin̪t̪es̬is]

Noun

synthesis f (genitive synthesis or syntheseōs or synthesios); third declension

1. A collection or reunion of many objects of analogous nature.
2. mixture, compound (medicine)
3. suit (of clothes), costume
4. a kind of loose garment, worn at table
5. dinner service

Declension

Third-declension noun (Greek-type, i-stem, i-stem).

¹Found sometimes in Medieval and New Latin.

Descendants

References

• “synthesis”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• synthesis in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• “synthesis”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “synthesis”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

Welsh

Alternative forms

• sunthesis

Etymology

Borrowed from English synthesis, from Latin synthesis, from Ancient Greek σύνθεσις (súnthesis, “a putting together; composition”).

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈsɨ̞nθɛsɪs/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪnθɛsɪs/

Usage notes

Being a word borrowed from English derived from Greek, the y in synthesis is pronounced /ɨ̞, ɪ/ rather than expected /ə/. To preserve consistency between pronunciation and spelling, some prefer to spell this word sunthesis. Nevertheless, synthesis is the more common spelling of the two. See pyramid/puramid, symbol/sumbol, system/sustem for similar examples.

Noun

synthesis m (plural synthesisau, not mutable)

1. synthesis

Related terms

• syntheseiddio (“synthesise”)
• synthetig (“synthetic”)

Further reading

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “synthesis”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies