Synthetic \Syn*thet"ic\, Synthetical \Syn*thet"ic*al\, a. [Gr.
?: cf. F. synth['e]tique.]
1. Of or pertaining to synthesis; consisting in synthesis or
composition; as, the synthetic method of reasoning, as
opposed to analytical.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Chem.) Artificial. Cf. Synthesis, 2.
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3. (Zool.) 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.
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Synthetic language, or Synthetical language, an
inflectional language, or one characterized by grammatical
endings; -- opposed to analytic language. --R. Morris.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
synthetic
adj 1: not of natural origin; prepared or made artificially;
"man-made fibers"; "synthetic leather" [syn: man-made,
semisynthetic]
2: 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 [syn: synthetical] [ant: analytic]
3: systematic combining of root and modifying elements into
single words [ant: analytic]
4: of a proposition whose truth value is determined by
observation or facts; "`all men are arrogant' is a
synthetic proposition" [syn: synthetical] [ant: analytic]
5: artificial as if portrayed in a film; "a novel with flat
celluloid characters" [syn: celluloid]
6: not genuine or natural; "counterfeit rhetoric that
flourishes when passions are synthetic"- George Will
n : a compound made artificially by chemical reactions
WordNet (r) 2.0
28 Moby Thesaurus words for "synthetic":
adhesive, artificial, bogus, cast plastic, cellulose plastic,
counterfeit, ersatz, extruded plastic, fake, false, imitation,
laminate, man-made, manufactured, mock, molded plastic,
molding compounds, plastic, polymer, protein plastic, pseudo,
resin plastic, sham, spurious, synthetic fabric, synthetic rubber,
thermoplastic, thermosetting plastic
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
celluloid, man-made, semisynthetic, synthetical
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