Online Etymology Dictionary

syncopate (v.): c.1600, from Late Latin syncopatus, past participle of syncopare "to shorten," also "to faint away, to swoon," from Late Latin syncope (see syncope). Originally "to shorten words by omitting syllables or letters in the middle;" musical sense is from 1660s. Related: Syncopated; syncopating.
syncopation (n.): 1530s, "contraction of a word by omission of middle sounds," from Medieval Latin syncopationem (nominative syncopatio) "a shortening or contraction," from syncopare "to shorten," also "to faint away, to swoon," from Late Latin syncope (see syncope). Musical sense is attested from 1590s.
syncope (n.): c.1400, from Late Latin syncopen "contraction of a word," accusative of syncope, from Greek synkope, "contraction of a word," originally "a cutting off," from synkoptein "to cut up," from syn- "together, thoroughly" (see syn-) + koptein "to cut," from PIE root *kop- "to beat, strike" (see hatchet). In pathology, "failure of the heart's action," hence "unconsciousness."
syncretism (n.): "reconciliation of different beliefs," 1610s, from Modern Latin syncretismus (David Pareus, 1615), from Greek synkretismos "union of communities," from synkretizein "to combine against a common enemy," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + second element of uncertain origin. One theory connects it with kretismos "lying," from kretizein "to lie like a Cretan;" another connects it with the stem of kerannynai "to mix, blend;" krasis "mixture."
syncytial (adj.): 1895, "pertaining to a syncytium" (1877), Modern Latin, from Greek syn "together" (see syn-) + kytos "receptacle, vessel," used in biology for "cell" (see cyto-).
syndic (n.): c.1600, "civil magistrate, especially in Geneva," from French syndic "chief representative" (14c.), from Late Latin syndicus "representative of a group or town," from Greek syndikos "public advocate," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + dike "judgment, justice, usage, custom" (cognate with Latin dicere "to show, tell;" see diction). Meaning "representative of a university or other corporation" first found c.1600.
syndicalism (n.): 1907, from French syndicalisme "movement to transfer ownership of means of production and distribution to industrial workers," from syndical "of a labor union," from syndic "chief representative" (see syndic).
syndicate (n.): 1620s, "council or body of representatives," from French syndicat, from syndic "representative of a corporation" (see syndic). Meaning "combination of persons or companies to carry out some commercial undertaking" first occurs 1865. Publishing sense of "association of publishers for purchasing articles, etc., for simultaneous publication in a number of newspapers" is from 1889. (Syndication "publication, broadcast, or ownership by a syndicate" is attested from 1925.) As a synonym for "organized crime, the Mob" it is recorded from 1929.
syndrome (n.): "a number of symptoms occurring together," 1540s, from Modern Latin, from Greek syndrome "concurrence of symptoms, concourse," from syndromos, literally "running together," from syn- "with" (see syn-) + dromos "running, course" (see dromedary). Psychological sense is from 1955.
syne (adv.): as in Burns' poem "Auld Lang Syne" (1788) is recorded from c.1300, Scottish form of since (q.v.), without the adverbial genitive inflection.
synecdoche (n.): late 14c., "part for whole or vice versa," from Medieval Latin synodoche, from Late Latin synecdoche, from Greek synekdokhe, literally "a receiving together or jointly," from synekdekhesthai "supply a thought or word, take with something else," from syn- "with" (see syn-) + ek "out" (see ex-) + dekhesthai "to receive," related to dokein "seem good" (see decent). Figure in which an attribute or adjunct is substituted for the thing meant ("head" for "cattle," etc.).
synechia (n.): plural synechiae, 1842, Modern Latin, from Greek synekheia "continuity," from synekhes "continuous," from syn "together" (see syn-) + ekhein "to hold" (see scheme).
synergetic (adj.): 1680s, from Greek synergetikos, from synergein "to work together, cooperate" (see synergy).
synergism (n.): 1650s, "theological doctrine that human will cooperates with divine grace in regeneration," from Modern Latin synergismus, from Greek synergos "working together" (see synergy). Used in a broader (non-theological) sense by 1925.
synergist (n.): 1650s in theology (see synergism); 1867 in medicine, from Greek synergos "working together" (see synergy) + -ist.
synergistic (adj.): 1818 in theology; 1876 in medicine, from synergist + -ic. Related: Synergistically.
synergize (v.): 1919; see synergy + -ize. Related: Synergized; synergizing.
synergy (n.): 1650s, "cooperation," from Modern Latin synergia, from Greek synergia "joint work, assistance, help," from synergos "working together," related to synergein "work together, help another in work," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + ergon "work" (see urge (v.)). Meaning "combined activities of a group" is from 1847.
synod (n.): late 14c., "ecclesiastical council," from Late Latin synodus, from Greek synodos "assembly, meeting, conjunction of planets," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + hodos "a going, a way" (see cede). Used by Presbyterians for "assembly of ministers and other elders" from 1593 to c.1920, when replaced by General Council.
synonym (n.): early 15c. (but rare before 18c.), from Latin synonymum, from Greek synonymon "word having the same sense as another," noun use of neuter of synonymos "having the same name as, synonymous," from syn- "together, same" (see syn-) + onyma, Aeolic dialectal form of onoma "name" (see name (n.)).
synonymous (adj.): c.1600, from Medieval Latin synonymus, from Greek synonymos (see synonym). Related: Synonymously.
synopsis (n.): 1610s, from Late Latin synopsis "a synopsis," from Greek synopsis "general view," from a stem of synoran "to see altogether, all at once," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + horan "to see, view" (see warrant).
synoptic (adj.): 1763, from Modern Latin synopticus, from Greek synoptikos, from synopsis (see synopsis). Specifically of the first three Gospels from 1841, on notion of "giving an account of events from the same point of view."
synovial: 1756, from synovia, Modern Latin sinovia, probably a coinage of Paracelsus and apparently an invented word.
syntactic (adj.): 1807, from Modern Latin syntacticus, from Greek syntaktikos, from syntassein (see syntax).
syntactical (adj.): 1570s, from Modern Latin syntacticus, from syntaxis (see syntax). Related: Syntactically.
syntagmatic (adj.): from French syntagmatique (de Saussure), from Greek syntagma, from syntassein, from syn (see syn-) + tassein "to arrange" (see tactics).
syntax (n.): c.1600, from French syntaxe, from Late Latin syntaxis, from Greek syntaxis "a putting together or in order, arrangement, syntax," from stem of syntassein "put in order," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + tassein "arrange" (see tactics).
synthesis (n.): 1610s, from Latin synthesis "collection, set, composition (of a medication)," from Greek synthesis "composition," from syntithenai "put together, combine," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + tithenai "put, place," from PIE root *dhe- "to put, to do" (see factitious).
synthesise (v.): chiefly British English spelling of synthesize. For suffix, see -ize. Related: Synthesised; synthesising.
synthesize (v.): 1830, from synthesis + -ize. A correct formation would be *synthetize. Related: Synthesized; synthesizing.
synthesizer (v.): 1869, agent noun from synthesize. As a type of musical instrument, from 1909; the electronic version is from 1950s.
synthetic (adj.): 1690s, as a term in logic, from French synthétique (17c.), from Modern Latin syntheticus, from Greek synthetikos, from synthetos, past participle of syntithenai (see synthesis). From 1874 in reference to products or materials made artificially by chemical synthesis; hence "artificial" (1930).
syphilis (n.): 1718, Modern Latin, originally from the title of a poem, "Syphilis, sive Morbus Gallicus" "Syphilis, or the French Disease," 1530, by Veronese doctor Girolamo Fracastoro (1483-1553), which tells the tale of the shepherd Syphilus, supposed to be the first sufferer from the disease. Fracastoro first used the word as a generic term for the disease in 1546 treatise "De Contagione." Why he chose the name is unknown; it may be intended as Latin for "Pig-lover," though there was also a Sipylus, a son of Niobe, in Ovid.
Syracuse: city in Sicily, founded as a Corinthian colony, 8c. B.C.E., from a pre-Hellenic word, perhaps Phoenician serah “to feel ill,” in reference to its location near a swamp. The city in New York, U.S., was named 1825 for the classical city.
Syria: from Latin Syria, from Greek Syria, from Syrioi "the Syrians," a name originally given to the Assyrians (Herodotus vii.63), a shortened form of Assyrioi (see Assyria).
syringe (n.): early 15c., from Late Latin syringa, from Greek syringa, accusative of syrinx "tube, hole, channel, shepherd's pipe," related to syrizein "to pipe, whistle, hiss," from PIE root *swer- (see susurration). Originally a catheter for irrigating wounds, the application to hypodermic needles is from 1884.
syrinx (n.): c.1600, the instrument itself known from 14c. in English, from Late Latin syrinx, from Greek syrinx "shepherd's pipe." Used of vocal organs of birds from 1872.
syrup (n.): late 14c., from Old French sirop (13c.), and perhaps from Italian siroppo, both from Arabic sharab "beverage, wine," literally "something drunk," from verb shariba "he drank" (cf. sherbet). Spanish jarabe, jarope, Old Provençal eissarop are from Arabic; Italian sciroppo is via Medieval Latin sirupus.
system (n.): 1610s, "the whole creation, the universe," from Late Latin systema "an arrangement, system," from Greek systema "organized whole, body," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + root of histanai "cause to stand" from PIE root *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Meaning "set of correlated principles, facts, ideas, etc." first recorded 1630s. Meaning "animal body as an organized whole, sum of the vital processes in an organism" is recorded from 1680s; hence figurative phrase to get (something) out of one's system (1900). Computer sense of "group of related programs" is recorded from 1963. All systems go (1962) is from U.S. space program.
systematic (adj.): 1670s, from Late Latin systematicus, from Greek systematikos, from systema (see system). Related: Systematically.
systematize (v.): 1760s, from system (Greek stem systemat-) + -ize. Related: Systematized; systematizing.
systemic (adj.): 1803, irregularly formed from system, used in medicine and biology for differentiation of meaning from systematic. Related: Systemically.
systole (n.): "periodic contraction of the heart and arteries," 1570s, from Greek systole "contraction," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + stem related to stellein "to bring together, draw in; to put" (see diastole).
systolic (adj.): 1690s, from Modern Latin systolicus, from systole (see systole).
syzygy (n.): "conjunction or opposition of a heavenly body with the sun," 1650s, from Late Latin syzygia, from Greek syzygia "yoke, pair, union of two, conjunction," from syzygein "to yoke together," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + zygon "yoke" (see jugular).