{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. synthétique. ] 1. Of or pertaining to synthesis; consisting in synthesis or composition; as, the synthetic method of reasoning, as opposed to analytical. [ 1913 Webster ] Philosophers hasten too much from the analytic to the synthetic method; that is, they draw general conclusions from too small a number of particular observations and experiments. Bolingbroke. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. (Chem.) Artificial. Cf. Synthesis, 2. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. (Zool.) Comprising within itself structural or other characters which are usually found only in two or more diverse groups; -- said of species, genera, and higher groups. See the Note under Comprehensive, 3. [ 1913 Webster ]
Synthetic language, or
Synthetical language, an inflectional language, or one characterized by grammatical endings; -- opposed to analytic language. R. Morris. [ 1913 Webster ]
Variants: Synthetic | 