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Origin and history of syn-

syn-

word-forming element of Greek origin (corresponding to Latin con-) meaning "together with, jointly; alike; at the same time," also sometimes completive or intensive, from Greek syn (prep.) "with, together with, along with, in the company of," from PIE *ksun- "with" (source also of Russian so- "with, together," from Old Russian su(n)-).

The Greek prefix was assimilated to -l-, reduced to sy- before -s- and -z-, and altered to sym- before -b-, -m- and -p-. Very productive from c. 1860 in forming words for modern sciences. Since 1970s also with a sense of "synthetic."

Entries linking to syn-

asymptote(n.)

"straight line continually approaching but never meeting a curve," 1650s, from Greek asymptotos "not falling together," from a- "not" (see a- (3)) + assimilated form of syn "with" (see syn-) + ptotos "fallen," verbal adjective from piptein "to fall" (from PIE root *pet- "to rush; to fly"). Related: Asymptosy.

asyndeton(n.)

"figure of speech consisting of omission of conjunctions," 1580s, from Latin, from Greek asyndeton, neuter of asyndetos "unconnected," from a- "not, without" (see a- (3)) + syndetos, from syndein "to bind together," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + dein "to bind," related to desmos "band" (from PIE root *dē- "to bind").

"I pitied thee, Took pains to make thee speak, taught thee each hour One thing or other." ["The Tempest"]
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idiosyncrasy
c. 1600, from French idiosyncrasie, from Latinized form of Greek idiosynkrasia "a peculiar temperament," from idios "one's own" (see idiom) + synkrasis "temperament, mixture of personal characteristics," from syn "together" (see syn-) + krasis "mixture," from PIE root *kere- "to
sanhedrim
supreme council and highest ecclesiastical and judicial tribunal of the ancient Jews, 1580s, from Late Hebrew sanhedrin (gedola) "(great) council," from Greek synedrion "assembly, council," literally "sitting together," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + hedra "seat" (from PIE roo
syllable
"vocal sound uttered with a single effort of articulation," late 14c., sillable, from Anglo-French sillable, an alteration of Old French silabe "syllable" (12c., Modern French syllabe), from Latin syllaba, from Greek syllabē "that which is held together; a syllable, several sound
synecdoche
together or jointly," from synekdekhesthai "supply a thought or word; take with something else, join in receiving," from syn...- "with" (see syn-) + ek "out" (see ex-) + dekhesthai "to receive," related to dokein "seem good" (from PIE root *dek- "to...
son
Sanskrit sunus, Greek huios, Avestan hunush, Armenian ustr, Lithuanian sūnus, Old Church Slavonic synu, Russian and Polish syn...
sin
Middle English sinne, from Old English synn, syn "violation of divine law, offense against God; moral wrongdoing," also "...
groom
c. 1200 (late 12c. in surnames), grome "male child, boy;" c. 1300, "a youth, young man," also "male servant, attendant, minor officer in a royal or noble household ranking higher than a page; a knight's squire." A word of unknown origin with no certain cognates in other Germanic
pipsqueak
also pip-squeak, contemptuous name for an insignificant person, 1910, from the trivial noise a young or weak creature makes. In World War I it was the soldier's slang name for a small German shell "which makes both a pip and a squeak when it comes over the trenches" [Farrow, "Dic
dwell
Old English dwellan "to lead into error, deceive, mislead," related to dwelian "to be led into error, go wrong in belief or judgment," from Proto-Germanic *dwaljana "to delay, hesitate," *dwelana "go astray" (source also of Old Norse dvelja "to retard, delay," Danish dvæle “to li
reservoir
1680s, "a place where something tends to collect, place where anything is kept in store," originally figurative, from French réservoir "storehouse," from Old French reserver "set aside, withhold," from Latin reservare "keep back, save up; retain, preserve," from re- "back" (see r

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