Prefix · together / at the same time
Signals union or simultaneity: synonym, synthesis, syndrome, synergy, symphony.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Syn- (also sym- before b, m, p) comes from Greek "syn" (with, together, at the same time) and signals that things join or coincide: synonym = a word with a meaning together/similar to another (syn = together + onym = name); synthesis = the joining of elements to create something new; syndrome = a set of symptoms that run together (syn = together + drome = running); synchronize = make happen at the same time.
Syn- becomes sym- before the consonants b, m, p for phonetic reasons: symphony = sound together (sym + phony = sound); symmetry = equal or shared measurement (sym + metry = measure); symbol = what is thrown together to represent something (sym + bol = to throw); sympathy = feeling together with another (sym + pathy = feeling). The sym- variant is as common as syn-.
Syn- before most consonants and vowels; sym- before b, m, p:
Pronunciation: /sɪn/ (syn-) and /sɪm/ (sym-). Spanish equivalent is "sin-" (sinónimo, síntesis, síndrome) and "sim-" (sinfonía, simetría, símbolo).
syn-/sɪn/
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"Synonym" (syn- = together + onym = name): words with similar or equivalent meanings. "Homonym" (homo- = same + onym = name): words that sound the same but mean different things (bear/bare, see/sea). Related types: antonym (opposite meaning) and hypernym (broader category — "animal" is a hypernym of "dog").
"Synergy" (syn- = together + ergon = work) implies that the combination produces a result GREATER than the sum of the parts individually — the 2+2=5 effect. Simple "cooperation" = working together without necessarily producing more. Synergy has this specific multiplicative or amplifying quality.
A trick to remember it
Syn- = "together" or "at the same time": synonym = similar name/meaning, synthesis = joining of parts, syndrome = symptoms running together, synergy = combined energy greater than the sum. Syn- becomes sym- before b/m/p: symphony, symmetry, symbiosis. Spanish: "sin-" (sinónimo, síntesis).
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"Happy, joyful, and content are near-___ — similar in meaning but with slightly different connotations."
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
What is the difference between "synonym" and "homonym" in English?
The prefix syn- signals union or simultaneity: synonym, synthesis, syndrome, synergy, symphony. In Spanish it usually maps to sin-.
The prefix syn- is pronounced /sɪn/. For example, "synonym".
"onym" becomes "synonym". It is a typical example of the syn- prefix.
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