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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."
updated on November 22, 2023
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symposium
symptom
symptomatic
symptomatology
symptomology
syn-
synaesthesia
synagogue
synalgia
synallagmatic
synapse