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View synonyms for

artificial

[ ahr-tuh-fish-uhl ]

adjective

  1. made by human skill; produced by humans ( natural ):

    artificial flowers.

    Synonyms:

  2. imitation; simulated; sham:

    artificial vanilla flavoring.

    Synonyms: ,

    Antonyms: ,

  3. lacking naturalness or spontaneity; forced; contrived; feigned:

    an artificial smile.

    Synonyms: ,

  4. full of affectation; affected; stilted:

    artificial manners; artificial speech.

    Synonyms:

  5. made without regard to the particular needs of a situation, person, etc.; imposed arbitrarily; unnatural:

    artificial rules for dormitory residents.

  6. Biology. based on arbitrary, superficial characteristics rather than natural, organic relationships:

    an artificial system of classification.

  7. Jewelry. manufactured to resemble a natural gem, in chemical composition or appearance. Compare assembled, imitation ( def 11 ), synthetic ( def 6 ).


artificial

/ ˌɑːtɪˈfɪʃəl; ˌɑːtɪˌfɪʃɪˈælɪtɪ /

adjective

  1. produced by man; not occurring naturally

    artificial materials of great strength

  2. made in imitation of a natural product, esp as a substitute; not genuine

    artificial cream

  3. pretended; assumed; insincere

    an artificial manner

  4. lacking in spontaneity; affected

    an artificial laugh

  5. biology relating to superficial characteristics not based on the interrelationships of organisms

    an artificial classification

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • artificiality, noun
  • ˌپˈھ, adverb
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Other Word Forms

  • t·ھc· adverb
  • t·ھc·Ա noun
  • v·t·ھc adjective
  • over·t·ھc· adverb
  • p·t·ھc adjective
  • super·t·ھc· adverb
  • ܲa·پ·ھc adjective
  • ܲa·پ·ھc·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of artificial1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin پھ “contrived by art”; equivalent to artifice + -al 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of artificial1

C14: from Latin پھ belonging to art, from artificium skill, artifice
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Google has been working to add artificial intelligence to the Chrome browser, Tabriz said.

From

McClelland pointed out that the differences between human brains and artificial intelligence systems include how we learn.

From

The California Supreme Court urged the State Bar of California Thursday to explain how and why it utilized artificial intelligence to develop multiple-choice questions for its botched February bar exams.

From

At this time, the FDA and food companies — including PepsiCo, General Mills, Mars and WK Kellogg — don’t have a formal agreement to remove artificial dyes, but an “understanding,” according to Kennedy.

From

“I’m almost speechless. Having the questions drafted by non-lawyers using artificial intelligence is just unbelievable.”

From

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More About Artificial

doesartificial mean?

Artificial is used to describe things that are made or manufactured as opposed to occurring naturally. Artificial is often used as the opposite of natural. A close synonym of artificial is synthetic.

This sense of the word is often used in the context of food to describe things like ingredients, flavors, additives, and preservatives that are chemically processed. Food packaging often specifies whether a product has natural or artificial flavors (or both). An artificial sweetener is a kind of chemical used as a substitute for sugar, such as in diet sodas.

Artificial is not only used in the context of food. Artificial turf is a grasslike surface used for sports playing fields. Artificial diamonds are those that are manufactured, as opposed to those that have developed through natural processes in the earth. Artificial flowers are often used as decorations. Artificial intelligence generally refers to the ability of a computer to function in a way that mimics or is likened to the human mind.

Sometimes, artificial is used in a more negative way to describe something as fake or imitation, as in Something about this tastes artificial.

This sense of the word is sometimes used figuratively to describe something as being faked, phony, or contrived—the opposite of real or genuine, as in an artificial smile.

Example: The stadium just installed a field with artificial grass that is supposed to feel identical to real grass.

Where doesartificial come from?

The first records of the word artificial come from around 1400. It ultimately comes from the Latin پھ, meaning “belonging to art,” from artificium, meaning “skill.” (The related word artifice can refer to trickery or inventiveness.)

Artificial is typically used to indicate that the thing it describes was made and especially to contrast it with a natural version of that thing that grew or developed naturally.

Creating artificial versions of things can often be done more quickly and is often cheaper. However, the resulting product may be considered less quality, less healthy, or inferior in some other way.

Did you know ... ?

are some other forms related to artificial?

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are some words that often get used in discussing artificial?

How isartificial used in real life?

Artificial is a commonly used word that’s typically used to describe something that was made and does not occur naturally.

Try usingartificial!

Which of the following things could be described as artificial?

A. a flavor made in a lab
B. a naturally grown apple
C. a wild plant
D. bacteria

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artificerartificial aid