synthesis
n.-
1 combining ideas (n.) C1 Advanced Academicthe act of combining different ideas, styles, or information to create a single, new result.
the formation of a complex or coherent whole by combining simpler elements or disparate ideas.
ExampleThe book is a perfect synthesis of history and fiction.
ExampleHis latest research represents a brilliant synthesis of traditional sociological theory and modern data analytics.
UsageOften used with the preposition 'of' to describe the components being merged.
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2 chemical production (n.) C1 Advanced Technical Sciencethe process of making a chemical substance by combining simpler parts.
the artificial execution of chemical reactions to obtain one or more products, typically involving the combination of simpler compounds.
ExampleThe synthesis of new medicines takes many years of laboratory work.
ExampleThe laboratory successfully achieved the total synthesis of the alkaloid, a process previously thought to be impossible with current technology.
UsageCommonly used in both biochemistry and industrial chemistry contexts.
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3 logic and philosophy (n.) C2 Proficiency Academic Formal Philosophythe result of combining two opposite ideas to find a new truth.
the third stage of the Hegelian dialectic, which reconciles the tension between a thesis and its antithesis.
ExampleThe professor explained how the synthesis of these two theories created a new way of thinking.
ExampleIn the Hegelian framework, the synthesis does not merely cancel the preceding conflict but preserves and elevates the valid elements of both positions.
UsageSpecific to dialectical reasoning and formal logic.
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4 sound creation (n.) C1 Advanced Technical Musiccreating complex sounds by combining simpler electronic signals.
the technique of generating sound electronically by combining different frequencies or waveforms.
ExampleModern music relies heavily on digital sound synthesis.
ExampleGranular synthesis allows composers to manipulate tiny fragments of audio to create vast, evolving soundscapes.
UsageOften used in the context of electronic music and audio engineering.
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.
- Nounbiosynthesis
- Nounphotosynthesis
- Nounsynthesis