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DictionaryRoot: ergon
Greek

ergon

work, deed, or activity

Forms

  • ergon
  • erg- — Used before other endings.
  • ergo- — Used with a linking o in compounds.

Origin

From an old Indo-European root for work, related to English work.

Note

Work can mean an activity, a product, or the capacity to act.

8 / 8
A text-free comparison: two women separately fail to lift the same heavy crate, while together they lift it clear of the floor.
noun

synergy

SIN-er-jee/ˈsɪnərdʒi/

A combined effect greater than the sum of separate effects.

Etymology
synGreekwith, together
+ergyGreekwork, deed, or activity

“Working together” first expressed cooperation, then coordinated action between organs. The selected sense adds a stronger claim: cooperation produces greater effectiveness than separate action.

Full entry

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