SYNTHETIC

synthetic, synthetical

(adjective) of a proposition whose truth value is determined by observation or facts; “‘all men are arrogant’ is a synthetic proposition”

synthetic

(adjective) systematic combining of root and modifying elements into single words

synthetic, synthetical

(adjective) involving or of the nature of synthesis (combining separate elements to form a coherent whole) as opposed to analysis; “limnology is essentially a synthetic science composed of elements...that extend well beyond the limits of biology”- P.S.Welch

synthetic

(adjective) not genuine or natural; “counterfeit rhetoric that flourishes when passions are synthetic”- George Will

celluloid, synthetic

(adjective) artificial as if portrayed in a film; “a novel with flat celluloid characters”

semisynthetic, man-made, synthetic

(adjective) not of natural origin; prepared or made artificially; “man-made fibers”; “synthetic leather”

synthetic, synthetic substance

(noun) a compound made artificially by chemical reactions

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Adjective

synthetic (comparative more synthetic, superlative most synthetic)

Of, or relating to synthesis.

(chemistry) Produced by synthesis instead of being isolated from a natural source (but may be identical to a product so obtained).

Artificial, not genuine,

(grammar) Pertaining to the joining of bound morphemes in a word (compare analytic).

(linguistics) Of a language, having a grammar principally dependent on the use of bound morphemes to indicate syntactic relationships (compare analytic).

Noun

synthetic (plural synthetics)

A synthetic compound.

Source: Wiktionary

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Syn*thet"ic, Syn*thet"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. synthétique.]

1. Of or pertaining to synthesis; consisting in synthesis or composition; as, the synthetic method of reasoning, as opposed to analytical. Philosophers hasten too much from the analytic to the synthetic method; that is, they draw general conclusions from too small a number of particular observations and experiments. Bolingbroke.

2. (Chem.)

Definition: Artificial. Cf. Synthesis, 2.

3. (Zoöl.)

Definition: Comprising within itself structural or other characters which are usually found only in two or more diverse groups; -- said of species, genera, and higher groups. See the Note under Comprehensive, 3. Synthetic, or Synthetical language, an inflectional language, or one characterized by grammatical endings; -- opposed to analytic language. R. Morris.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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