SYNERGISM

synergism (sin-[schwa]r-jiz-[schwa]m), n. Patents. 1. A combination of known elements or functions that create a result greater than the sum of the individual elements or functions. • Demonstrating that synergism exists is sometimes useful in proving nonobviousness. The U.S. Supreme Court held that synergism was a requirement for a combination patent in Great Atl. & […]