Origin: Latin suffix -al
Artificial has 4 different meanings across 1 category:
contrived by art rather than nature
"artificial flowers"
"artificial flavoring"
"an artificial diamond"
"artificial fibers"
"artificial sweeteners"
artificially formal
"that artificial humility that her husband hated"
"contrived coyness"
"a stilted letter of acknowledgment"
"when people try to correct their speech they develop a stilted pronunciation"
not arising from natural growth or characterized by vital processes
"The plastic tree in the garden is entirely artificial, lacking any roots to draw nutrients from the soil."
Man-made; of artifice.
"The restaurant's garden was entirely artificial, featuring plastic flowers and fake grass under bright LED lights."
In plain English: Artificial means something that is made by people instead of growing naturally.
"The flowers in the garden were not real, but artificial ones made of silk."
Usage: Use artificial to describe objects or materials that are created by humans rather than occurring naturally, such as artificial flowers or sweeteners. Avoid using it to mean fake in the sense of insincere unless specifically referring to a lack of natural quality.
The word artificial entered English through Middle English and Old French from Latin, originally describing something made by human skill rather than nature. It eventually replaced the native Old English term cræftlīċ to mean "man-made."