[ar.ti.fi.cial] adj (14c) 1: humanly contrived often on a natural model: man-made "an ~ limb" "~ diamonds"
2. a: having existence in legal, economic, or political theory b: caused or produced by a human and esp. social or political agency "an ~ price advantage" "~ barriers of discrimination --R. C. Weaver" 3 obs: artful, cunning
4. a: lacking in natural or spontaneous quality "an ~ smile" "an ~ excitement" c: imitation, sham "~ flavor"
5: based on differential morphological characters not necessarily indicative of natural relationships "an ~ key for plant identification" -- ar.ti.fi.ci.al.i.ty n -- ar.ti.fi.cial.ly adv -- ar.ti.fi.cial.ness n