Origin: Greek prefix syn-
Synthesizer has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
an intellectual who synthesizes or uses synthetic methods
"The conference featured a leading cognitive scientist, a true synthesizer of neuroscience and artificial intelligence who presented groundbreaking findings on machine learning."
(music) an electronic instrument (usually played with a keyboard) that generates and modifies sounds electronically and can imitate a variety of other musical instruments
"The band's lead guitarist traded his acoustic guitar for a synthesizer to create those lush, electric piano chords during the bridge."
An electronic instrument that creates its sounds with electronics and has a keyboard.
"During the concert, the lead singer stepped up to play the melody on his vintage synthesizer while the band played along."
The word comes from the verb synthesize with the suffix -er. It originally referred to someone or something that brings separate elements together to form a unified whole.