ar·ti·fact also ar·te·fact (är t -f kt )n. 1. An object produced or shaped by human craft, especially a tool, weapon, or ornament of archaeological or historical interest. 2. Something viewed as a product of human conception or agency rather than an inherent element: "The very act of looking at a naked model was an artifact of male supremacy" (Philip Weiss). 3. A structure or feature not normally present but visible as a result of an external agent or action, such as one seen in a microscopic specimen after fixation, or in an image produced by radiology or electrocardiography. 4. An inaccurate observation, effect, or result, especially one resulting from the technology used in scientific investigation or from experimental error: The apparent pattern in the data was an artifact of the collection method. [Latin arte, ablative of ars, art; see art1 + factum, something made (from neuter past participle of facere, to make; see dh  - in Indo-European roots).]ar ti·factu·al (-fkch -l) adj. |
artifact [ˈɑːtɪˌfækt]
n
a variant spelling of artefact
| artifact also artefact (ärt-fkt) 1. An object produced or shaped by human craft, especially a tool, weapon, or ornament of archaeological or historical interest. 2. An artificial product or effect observed in a natural system, especially one introduced by the technology used in scientific investigation or by experimental error. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  artifact - a man-made object taken as a whole whole, unit - an assemblage of parts that is regarded as a single entity; "how big is that part compared to the whole?"; "the team is a unit" article - one of a class of artifacts; "an article of clothing" facility - something designed and created to serve a particular function and to afford a particular convenience or service; "catering facilities"; "toilet facilities"; "educational facilities" Americana - any artifact (such as books or furniture or art) that is distinctive of America anachronism - an artifact that belongs to another time antiquity - an artifact surviving from the past block - a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides); "the pyramids were built with large stone blocks" button - any artifact that resembles a button cone - any cone-shaped artifact covering - an artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it) creation - an artifact that has been brought into existence by someone decker - (often used in combinations) something constructed with multiple levels; "they rode in a double-decker bus" electroplate - any artifact that has been plated with a thin coat of metal by electrolysis excavation - a hole in the ground made by excavating duplicate, extra - something additional of the same kind; "he always carried extras in case of an emergency" cloth, fabric, textile, material - artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers; "the fabric in the curtains was light and semitransparent"; "woven cloth originated in Mesopotamia around 5000 BC"; "she measured off enough material for a dress" facility, installation - a building or place that provides a particular service or is used for a particular industry; "the assembly plant is an enormous facility" fixture - an object firmly fixed in place (especially in a household) float - something that floats on the surface of water instrumentation, instrumentality - an artifact (or system of artifacts) that is instrumental in accomplishing some end layer, bed - single thickness of usually some homogeneous substance; "slices of hard-boiled egg on a bed of spinach" line - something (as a cord or rope) that is long and thin and flexible; "a washing line" marker - some conspicuous object used to distinguish or mark something; "the buoys were markers for the channel" mystification - something designed to mystify or bewilder opening - a vacant or unobstructed space that is man-made; "they left a small opening for the cat at the bottom of the door" cushioning, padding - artifact consisting of soft or resilient material used to fill or give shape or protect or add comfort ready-made - a manufactured artifact (as a garment or piece of furniture) that is made in advance and available for purchase; "their apartment was furnished with ready-mades" restoration - some artifact that has been restored or reconstructed; "the restoration looked exactly like the original" flat solid, sheet - a flat artifact that is thin relative to its length and width sphere - any spherically shaped artifact square - any artifact having a shape similar to a plane geometric figure with four equal sides and four right angles; "a checkerboard has 64 squares" squeaker - any artifact that makes a squeaking sound when used; "those sneakers are squeakers"; "which hinge is the squeaker?" structure, construction - a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts; "the structure consisted of a series of arches"; "she wore her hair in an amazing construction of whirls and ribbons" surface - the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary; "there is a special cleaner for these surfaces"; "the cloth had a pattern of red dots on a white surface" natural object - an object occurring naturally; not made by man |
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