synthetic
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synthetic
Produced artificially through chemical processes (synthesis) and not occurring in nature. It is the opposite of natural.
Viele moderne Sporttextilien bestehen aus synthetischen Fasern.
Many modern sports textiles are made of synthetic fibers.
The adjective 'synthetisch' (synthetic) is derived from the noun 'die Synthese' (synthesis). A synthesis is the process by which something new is created by combining different elements. This basic principle applies to both meanings of the word.
Die Synthese dieses neuen Medikaments war ein Durchbruch.
The synthesis of this new medication was a breakthrough.
In the meaning 'artificially produced', 'synthetisch' is often combined with materials and substances. Typical examples are 'synthetische Fasern' (synthetic fibers), 'synthetische Drogen' (synthetic drugs), 'synthetische Farbstoffe' (synthetic dyes), or 'synthetische Aromen' (synthetic flavors).
Dieses T-Shirt besteht aus einer Mischung aus Baumwolle und synthetischen Fasern.
This T-shirt is made of a mixture of cotton and synthetic fibers.
You can recognize the meaning from the subject area. In everyday language and in the natural sciences (chemistry, biology), 'synthetisch' almost always means 'artificially produced'. In philosophy and linguistics, it refers to the combination of concepts.
Im Philosophie-Seminar diskutierten wir über synthetische Urteile a priori.
In the philosophy seminar, we discussed synthetic a priori judgments.
This meaning of 'synthetisch' is almost exclusively limited to an academic and technical context. It is found in texts on philosophy, logic, and linguistics.
Die Unterscheidung zwischen analytischen und synthetischen Sätzen ist fundamental für die Sprachphilosophie.
The distinction between analytic and synthetic sentences is fundamental to the philosophy of language.
natural / of course
'natürlich' and 'synthetisch' are opposites when it comes to substances or products. 'natürlich' means that something comes from nature or was not produced artificially. 'synthetisch' means that something was produced artificially through chemical processes. The words can be confused because both often appear on packaging or in the context of clothing, cosmetics, or medicine. Remember: 'natürlich' comes from nature, while 'synthetisch' comes from the lab or from technical production.
Für den Sport trage ich eine Jacke aus synthetischem Stoff.
For sports, I wear a jacket made of synthetic fabric.
Lena benutzt zu Hause eine natürliche Seife ohne Zusatzstoffe.
Lena uses a natural soap without additives at home.