1670s, "of or pertaining to a system," from French systématique or directly from Late Latin systematicus, from Greek systēmatikos "combined in a whole," from systēma (genitive systēmatos); see system.

It is attested by 1789 as "methodical," often in a bad sense, "ruthlessly methodical" or "unduly formal," from the notion of "proceeding according to system." Related: Systematical (1660s); systematically.

"make into a system, arrange in accordance with a method," 1764, from French systématiser or a native formation from system (Greek stem systemat-) + -ize. Related: Systematized; systematizing.

chiefly British English spelling of systematize; for suffix, see -ize. Related: Systematised; systematising; systematisation.

"periodic contraction of the heart and arteries," 1570s, from Greek systolē "a drawing together, contraction," from stem of systellein "draw together, contract, restrain," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + stellein "to bring together, draw in; to put, set, place" (from PIE *stel-yo-, suffixed form of root *stel- "to put, stand, put in order," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place).

"pertaining to or marked by systole," 1690s, from Modern Latin systolicus, from Greek systolē "a drawing together, contraction" (see systole).

syū-, also sū:-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to bind, sew."

It forms all or part of: accouter; couture; hymen; Kama Sutra; seam; sew; souter; souvlaki; sutra; sutile; suture.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit sivyati "sews," sutram "thread, string;" Greek hymen "thin skin, membrane," hymnos "song;" Latin suere "to sew, sew together;" Old Church Slavonic šijo "to sew," šivu "seam;" Lettish siuviu, siuti "to sew," siuvikis "tailor;" Russian švec "tailor;" Old English siwian "to stitch, sew, mend, patch, knit together."

in astronomy, "conjunction or opposition of a heavenly body with the sun," 1650s, from Late Latin syzygia, from Greek syzygia "yoke of animals, pair, union of two, conjunction," from syzygein "to yoke together," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + zygon "yoke" (from PIE root *yeug- "to join"). Used in algebra from 18560, zoology by 1873. Related: Syzygial (1730); syzygeal; syzygiacal (1670s); syzygetic; syzygant (1882).

also Szechuan, place name, said to mean "four rivers," from Chinese si "four" + chuan "river."