nonfabricated

Nonfabricated is an English adjective meaning not fabricated; genuine; not artificially created, manipulated, or invented. The term is most often used in contexts where distinguishing between made-up material and real material is important—for example, nonfabricated data, nonfabricated evidence, or nonfabricated samples. It contrasts with fabricated, which can mean manufactured, invented, or fraudulently altered. Etymology: from non- (not) + fabricated, with “fabricate” deriving from Latin facere, to make. In everyday language, speakers may prefer “unfabricated” or “genuine” or simply “real” rather than “nonfabricated.” In scientific and journalistic writing, “nonfabricated” can emphasize that items are original or unchanged by manipulation; however, it can be perceived as cumbersome; alternatives include “original,” “unaltered,” “verifiable,” or “factual.”

Examples: Nonfabricated data came from field observations rather than laboratory simulations. The court accepted the nonfabricated testimony as credible, while fabricated documents were excluded as evidence.

See also: fabrications, authenticity, verifiability, evidence.