Synthetically

Synthetically is an adverb used to describe processes, products, or conclusions produced by synthesis rather than occurring naturally or by observation alone. It derives from the adjective synthetic, which denotes man-made, artificially constructed, or chemically created substances and methods.

In science and industry, the term commonly appears in chemistry and materials science. A compound described as synthetic has been produced through chemical synthesis rather than isolated from a natural source. Synthetic polymers such as nylon and polyethylene, synthetic dyes, and various pharmaceuticals are typical examples. Lab synthesis allows control over the composition and structure of a product, enabling features not found in nature.

In linguistics, synthetic is used to characterize languages that convey meaning through affixes, inflection, or incorporation. Statements about language forms may be described as synthetically produced when they are generated through morphological processes rather than simple word order changes. In data science and biology, synthetic data and synthetic biology describe artificial generation of information or biological components for research and application.

Etymology: The word ultimately comes from Latin syntheticus, from Greek sun (together) and tithemi (to place). The adverbial form synthetically follows the pattern of other -ly derivations from adjectives.