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synthetic

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /sɪnˈθet.ɪk/, US /sɪnˈθet̬.ɪk/[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French synthétique and directly New Latin syntheticus,[2][3] from Ancient Greek συνθετικός (sunthetikós, “skilled in putting together, constructive”),[2][4][3] from the past participle stem of συντίθημι (suntíthēmi, “to put together”) (see synthesis).[2][4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Relating to grammatical construction, a rare and obsolete sense: 1589.[5] In logic, proceeding from causes or principles to their consequences: 1697 in the OED, the 1690s in Etymonline.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

In chemistry, relating to synthesis, it is from 1753.[5] It was used in grammar by 1816, of languages that combine elements into words, and in biology by 1859.[2] Of a substance made by chemical synthesis in imitation of a natural product, it is from 1874,[5][2] and figuratively, artificial or invented, from 1930.[5][2] In aeronautics, synthetic training simulates flight on the ground (1942).[5] As a noun, a synthetic material, especially a fabric, it is from 1934 in Etymonline, 1916 in Merriam-Webster.[2][4] Synthetical is from the 1620s, in logic.[2]

Timeline

  • 1589 – of grammatical construction.[5]
  • 1697 – deductive (logic).[5]
  • 1753 – relating to chemical synthesis.[5]
  • 1874 – artificially made.[5][2]
  • 1916 – a synthetic (noun).[4]
  • 1930 – artificial, imitation.[5][2]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Made artificially by chemical reaction, not of natural origin.
  2. Not genuine; artificial or insincere: synthetic compassion.
  3. Relating to or involving synthesis.
  4. (linguistics) Of a language such as Latin, expressing grammatical relations mainly by inflection.

Noun

  1. A synthetic chemical compound or material, especially a fabric.

Word family

  • synthetically
  • nonsynthetic
  • unsynthetic
  • biosynthetic
  • polysynthetic
  • semisynthetic
  • synthesis
  • synthesize
  • thesis
  • analytic

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press