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Origin and history of synergist

synergist(n.)

1650s, in theology, one who holds the doctrine of synergism (q.v.), that human will cooperates with divine grace in regeneration (implying that the fall did not cost the soul all inclination toward holiness and all power to seek it); from Modern Latin synergismus, from Greek synergos "working together" (see synergy). For ending, see -ist. The dispute was important in the 16c. Lutheran Church.

also from 1650s

Entries linking to synergist

synergism(n.)

1754, "theological doctrine that human will cooperates with divine grace in regeneration," perhaps a back-formation from synergist (q.v.) or from Modern Latin synergismus, from Greek synergos "working together" (see synergy). The non-theological sense of "a working together, cooperation" is by 1910 (originally of medicines).

synergy(n.)

1650s, "cooperation," in a specialized theological sense (now obsolete; see synergist), from Modern Latin synergia, from Greek synergia "joint work, a working together, cooperation; assistance, help," sometimes in a bad sense, "conspiracy." This is from synergos "working together, joining or helping in work," which is related to synergein "work together, help another in work; of the same trade as another," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + ergon "work" (reconstructed in Watkins to be from PIE root *werg- "to do").

The Greek noun corresponds to Latin cooperatio, though the elements are unrelated.

The meaning in physiology, "correlation or concourse of action between different organs," is by 1847, a sense introduced in German by pathologist Jacob Henle (1809-1885), then of Heidelberg, in Handbuch der rationellen Pathologie (Brunswick, 1846) as part of an attempt to systematically redefine pathology based on new discoveries.

There are two modes of sympathy, viz. synergy and antagonism. The name synergy, Henle proposes for that mode of sympathy in which the same change ensues in one organ which was excited in the other, and the name antagonism for that mode in which the change in the first organ occasions an opposite change in the second. ["Professor Henle's Manual of Rational Pathology," The British and Foreign Medical Review, October 1847]

The meaning "advanced effectiveness as a result of cooperation" is attested by 1957, associated with and popularized by U.S. architect and systems theorist Buckminster Fuller, who developed his system as synergetics. His immediate inspiration might have been use of synergism in pharmacy or metallurgy in reference to the combined effects of two substances when greater than the effect of each alone.

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antagonist
"one who contends with another," 1590s, from French antagoniste (16c.) or directly from Late Latin antagonista, from Greek antagonistēs "competitor, opponent, rival," agent noun from antagonizesthai "to struggle against, oppose, be a rival," from anti "against" (see anti-) + agon
drug
late 14c., drogge (early 14c. in Anglo-French), "any substance used in the composition or preparation of medicines," from Old French droge "supply, stock, provision" (14c.), which is of unknown origin. Perhaps it is from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German droge-vate "dry barrels,"
nod
late 14c., "to quickly bow the head; to assent, beckon, or salute quickly by an inclination of the head," late 14c., nodden, a word of unknown origin, probably an Old English word, but not recorded, or perhaps from a Low German word related to Old High German hnoton "to shake," f
identity
c. 1600, "sameness, oneness, state of being the same," from French identité (14c.), from Medieval Latin identitatem (nominative identitas) "sameness," ultimately from Latin idem (neuter) "the same" (see idem). [For discussion of Latin formation, see entry in OED.] Earlier form of
suffer
mid-13c., sufferen, "allow to occur or continue, refrain from hindering, fail to prevent or suppress," also "be made to undergo, endure, be subjected to" (pain, death, punishment, grief, injury, humiliation); from Anglo-French suffrir, Old French sofrir "bear, endure, resist; per
emancipate
1620s, "set free from control," from Latin emancipatus, past participle of emancipare "put (a son) out of paternal authority, declare (someone) free, give up one's authority over," in Roman law, the freeing of a son or wife from the legal authority (patria potestas) of the pater
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
stool pigeon
"police informer," 1859, American English; earlier "one who betrays the unwary (or is used to betray them)," 1821, earlier "a decoy bird" (1812), from a stool as the movable pole or perch to which a pigeon was fastened to lure wild birds. Perhaps a stool was the original device,
bolt
Old English bolt "short, stout arrow with a heavy head;" also "crossbow for throwing bolts," from Proto-Germanic *bultas (source also of Old Norse bolti, Danish bolt, Dutch bout, German Bolzen), perhaps originally "arrow, missile," and from PIE *bheld- "to knock, strike" (source
Aryan
c. 1600, as a term in classical history, from Latin Arianus, Ariana, from Greek Aria, Areia, names applied in classical times to the eastern part of ancient Persia and to its inhabitants. Ancient Persians used the name in reference to themselves (Old Persian ariya-), hence Iran.

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