Synthetic: meaning, definitions and examples

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synthetic

 

[ sɪnˈθɛtɪk ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

materials

Produced by chemical synthesis, especially to imitate a natural product. Made by combining different substances, rather than being produced naturally.

Synonyms

artificial, imitation, man-made

Examples of usage

  • synthetic fabrics
  • synthetic diamonds are much cheaper than natural ones
Context #2 | Adjective

emotions

Not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article.

Synonyms

artificial, insincere, phony

Examples of usage

  • her smile was synthetic, lacking warmth and sincerity

Translations

Translations of the word "synthetic" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sintético

🇮🇳 कृत्रिम

🇩🇪 synthetisch

🇮🇩 sintetis

🇺🇦 синтетичний

🇵🇱 syntetyczny

🇯🇵 合成の

🇫🇷 synthétique

🇪🇸 sintético

🇹🇷 sentetik

🇰🇷 합성의

🇸🇦 اصطناعي

🇨🇿 syntetický

🇸🇰 syntetický

🇨🇳 合成的

🇸🇮 sintetičen

🇮🇸 gervi

🇰🇿 синтетикалық

🇬🇪 სინთეზური

🇦🇿 sintetik

🇲🇽 sintético

Word origin

The word 'synthetic' originates from the Greek word 'sunthetikos', meaning 'able to put together'. It first appeared in English in the early 17th century, primarily used in the context of chemistry and materials science. Over time, its usage expanded to describe anything produced by synthesis or imitation, whether in the realm of materials or emotions.

See also: biosynthesize.

Word Frequency Rank

At #5,022 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.