artificial. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

artificial

SYLLABICATION:	ar·ti·fi·cial
PRONUNCIATION:	ärt-fshl
ADJECTIVE:	1a. Made by humans; produced rather than natural. b. Brought about or caused by sociopolitical or other human-generated forces or influences: set up artificial barriers against women and minorities; an artificial economic boom. 2. Made in imitation of something natural; simulated: artificial teeth. 3. Not genuine or natural: an artificial smile.
ETYMOLOGY:	Middle English, from Old French, from Latin artificilis, belonging to art, from artificium, craftsmanship. See artifice.
OTHER FORMS:	arti·fici·ali·ty (-fsh-l-t) —NOUN arti·ficial·ly —ADVERB
SYNONYMS:	artificial, synthetic, ersatz, simulated These adjectives refer to what is made by humans rather than natural in origin. Artificial is broadest in meaning and connotation: an artificial sweetener; artificial flowers. Synthetic often implies the use of a chemical process to produce a substance that will look or function like the original, often with certain advantages: synthetic rubber; a synthetic fabric. An ersatz product is a transparently inferior imitation: ersatz coffee; ersatz mink. Simulated often refers to a fabricated substitute or imitation of a costlier substance: simulated diamonds.


The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.