kunstliku

Kunstliku is an Estonian adjective meaning artificial or man-made. It is used to describe substances, materials, or processes that are not derived from nature, as well as things produced through human design or synthesis.

Etymology and forms: Kunstlik is formed from the noun kunst (art) with the suffix -lik, creating the meaning artificial. The form kunstliku is one of the inflected forms the word takes in Estonian grammar, and it commonly appears in phrases modifying nouns in various cases, such as kunstliku lõhna or kunstliku materjali.

Usage: In everyday language, media, and industry, kunstlik denotes synthetic or manufactured variants. It is frequently used in labeling and descriptions, for example kunstlik nahk (synthetic leather), kunstlik valgus (artificial lighting), and kunstlik maitse (artificial flavor). The term is often contrasted with looduslik (natural). In scientific or academic contexts, kunstlik can refer to artificial or simulated phenomena, such as kunstlik elu (artificial life). Tehislik is a related term that can carry a similar sense of imitation or fabrication, though it is used in different contexts, for example tehisintellekt (artificial intelligence).