Where does “artificial” come from?
Artificial comes from Middle English artificial, from Old French artificiel, from Latin artificialis, derived from artifex meaning craftsman or artisan.
artificial (English): Man-made; of artifice; False, misleading;...
Definitions
- Man-made; of artifice; False, misleading;...
Ancestry of “artificial”, step by step
artificial traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin artificialis
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | artificialis | artificial |
| 2 | Latin | artificium | art, craft, trade; skill, talent, artifice,... |
| 3 | Latin | artifex | artist, actor; craftsman, master; mastermind,... |
| 4 | Latin | ars | art; skill, craft, handicraft, trade, power |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | artis | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂értis | fitting |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂er- | to fit, to fix, to put together |
via Middle English artificial
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | artificial | man-made |