Artificiële

Artificiële is a Dutch adjective meaning artificial or produced by human artifice, as opposed to something occurring in nature. It derives from Late Latin artificialis, via Old French artificiel, and entered Dutch with senses related to craft, fabrication, and contrivance. In everyday language, the more common synonym is kunstmatige, but artificieel and its feminine form artificiële remain standard in technical or formal registers and in certain compound nouns.

In spelling and inflection, the base form is artificieel; the feminine and plural form artificiële is used before feminine or plural nouns. Dutch adjectives typically take an -e ending in definite phrases, so you encounter phrases such as artificiële intelligentie and artificiële bloemen. Some contexts favor kunstmatig over artificieel, where kunstmatig emphasizes imitation or manufacture, while artificieel carries a sense of design or contrivance.

Usage and domains: In science and engineering, artificial limbs (artificiële ledematen), artificial organs, and artificial satellites are common terms. In biology and chemistry, artificiële enzymes or artificiële materials refer to human-made substitutes. In philosophy, law, and ethics, the term is used to discuss authenticity, simulation, and the boundary between human creation and natural processes. In Dutch, the preferred term for computer-based reasoning is kunstmatige intelligentie (artificial intelligence), though some texts still employ artificiële intelligentie in more formal or historical contexts.

Origin and notes: The form reflects the broader Indo-European root for craft and skill, and its appearance in Dutch mirrors similar Latin-derived adjectives across European languages. Today artificiële remains a recognized but increasingly specialized term, with kunstmatige as the dominant everyday choice.