First Known Use: 1697
Dictionary
1synthetic
adjective syn·thet·ic \sin-ˈthe-tik\
: made by combining different substances : not natural
Full Definition of SYNTHETIC
1
: relating to or involving synthesis : not analytic <the synthetic aspects of a philosophy>
2
: attributing to a subject something determined by observation rather than analysis of the nature of the subject and not resulting in self-contradiction if negated — compare analytic
3
: characterized by frequent and systematic use of inflected forms to express grammatical relationships <synthetic languages>
4
a (1) : of, relating to, or produced by chemical or biochemical synthesis; especially : produced artificially <synthetic drugs> <synthetic silk> (2) : of or relating to a synfuel b : devised, arranged, or fabricated for special situations to imitate or replace usual realities c : factitious, bogus
— syn·thet·i·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
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Origin of SYNTHETIC
Greek synthetikos of composition, component, from syntithenai to put together
Related to SYNTHETIC
- Synonyms
- artificial, man-made, nonnatural
- Antonyms
- natural
Other Logic Terms
Rhymes with SYNTHETIC
aesthetic, ascetic, athletic, balletic, bathetic, cometic, cosmetic, eidetic, emetic, frenetic, gametic, genetic, hermetic, limnetic, magnetic, mimetic, noetic, Ossetic, paretic, pathetic, phenetic, phonetic, phyletic, poetic, prophetic, prosthetic, pyretic, splenetic, syncretic, syndetic, tonetic, Venetic
2synthetic
noun
: something made by combining different artificial substances
Full Definition of SYNTHETIC
: something resulting from synthesis rather than occurring naturally; especially : a product (as a drug or plastic) of chemical synthesis
See synthetic defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of SYNTHETIC
1916
SYNTHETIC Defined for Kids
synthetic
adjective syn·thet·ic \sin-ˈthe-tik\
Definition of SYNTHETIC for Kids
: produced artificially especially by chemical means : produced by human beings <synthetic diamonds>
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