ar|ti|fi|cial

ar|ti|fi|cial «_AHR tuh FIHSH uhl», adjective, noun.

–adj.

1. made by human skill or labor; not natural: »

At night you read by artificial light.

2. made as a substitute or in imitation; not real: »

artificial silk. She made artificial flowers from paper.

SYNONYM(S): synthetic.

3. put on for effect; affected; pretended; assumed; false: »

an artificial tone of voice. When nervous, he had an artificial laugh.

SYNONYM(S): feigned, hollow.

4. based on prominent points of resemblance or difference rather than natural relationships for biological classification: »

Examples of artificial classifications of plants are those that divide them into trees, shrubs, and herbs; into those that grow in wet, moist, and dry locations; and those with regard to color of flowers, without regard to genetic kinship (Fred W. Emerson).

5. not native to a place; cultivated: »

African violets are artificial plants in North America.

–n.

an artificial flower.

╂[< Latin artificiālis < artificium artifice]

–ar´ti|fi´cial|ly, adverb.

–ar´ti|fi´cial|ness, noun.

Synonym Study adjective. 1 Artificial, synthetic mean manmade, not natural. Artificial describes that which is produced by human skill and labor, in contrast to that produced in nature, but which often corresponds to natural things or processes: »

an artificial leg. Artificial respiration has saved the lives of many people who would have otherwise drowned.

Synthetic describes substances put together in a laboratory by chemical combination or treatment of natural materials, often to serve as substitutes for natural products: »

When Teflon, a synthetic substance, is used to coat a pan, food can be fried without grease.