factitious
UK: fækˈtɪʃəs | US: fækˈtɪʃəs
adj. artificially created or developed; not natural or spontaneous
adj. (of emotions or behavior) forced or contrived
factitious = fact<made> + itious<adjective suffix>
- fact (from Latin factum, meaning "thing made" or "deed")
- itious (adjective-forming suffix, often implying artificiality or imitation, as in fictitious)
Etymology Origin:
Derived from Latin facticius ("made by art"), itself from facere ("to make"). The word evolved in English to emphasize artificiality, distinguishing it from natural or genuine. The suffix -itious reinforces the sense of fabrication, aligning with words like fictitious (imaginary) and adventitious (accidental). The logic traces a clear path: "made" → "artificially made."
The politician’s factitious enthusiasm failed to convince the crowd.
The documentary exposed the factitious nature of "reality" TV shows.
Her smile seemed factitious, hiding deeper frustration.
The market was flooded with factitious diamonds disguised as genuine gems.
Critics dismissed the artist’s work as factitious, lacking authentic emotion.