semisynthetic

American

[sem-ee-sin-thet-ik, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm i sɪnˈθɛt ɪk, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

adjective

Chemistry.

derived synthetically from one or more substances of natural origin.

Etymology

Origin of semisynthetic

First recorded in 1935–40; semi- + synthetic

Vocabulary lists containing semisynthetic

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: semi-

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

semisynthetic

Keasling's artemisinic-acid pathway was published in 2006; the semisynthetic drug went on the market in 2013.

From Nature ● May 16, 2017

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023