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Word for "something that looks man-made/ fabricated/ artificial"

English Language & Usage Asked by OC2PS on July 26, 2021

I am writing about how the structure of a protein looks similar to previously lab-made proteins. But the subject of my work is of uncertain origin. So I am looking for a word that allows me to say something like:
The ________ structure of the name_undecided protein, leads me to think…

One Answer

Synthetic or manufactured is now often recommended in the academic/technical literature as a replacement for the gendered manmade.

If you're certain that the protein was designed rather than evolved, you could use "The synthetic structure..." However, it sounds like you aren't certain. In this case, you could use

"The synthetic-appearing structure..." or

"The synthetic aspects [or nature or appearance or configuration or arrangement] of the structure..." or

"The protein characteristics, which evoke synthetic structures..." or

"The protein structure, which appears similar to those of manufactured proteins, ..." and so on.

Answered by Chemomechanics on July 26, 2021

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