ENGLISH
REFERENCE

artificial

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˌɑɹtəˈfɪʃəɫ// UK //ˌɑːtɪfˈɪʃəl// ar·ti·fi·cial General-service

adj. made by people instead of happening naturally. You use this to describe things that copy something real, like fake flowers or computer intelligence.

adj. produced by human art or effort rather than occurring naturally. Often used to describe synthetic materials or systems designed to mimic natural processes or appearances.


SIMPLE

These flowers are artificial but they look very real.

CONTEXTUAL

The new office building uses artificial light because there are very few windows in the center of the floor.

COMPLEX

While the lake appears natural to the casual observer, it is actually an artificial reservoir created during the damming of the valley in the late nineteenth century.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English artificial (“man-made”) via Old French (modern French artificiel), from Latin artificiālis from artificium (“skill”), from artifex, from ars (“skill”), and -fex, from facere (“to make”). Displaced native Old English cræftlīċ.

Usage

Commonly modifies nouns related to intelligence, materials, or environments.

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