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.
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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.
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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.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
synthetical
adj 1: 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: synthetic]
[ant: analytic]
2: of a proposition whose truth value is determined by
observation or facts; "`all men are arrogant' is a
synthetic proposition" [syn: synthetic] [ant: analytic]
WordNet (r) 2.0
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