artifact

American  

[ahr-tuh-fakt] / ˈɑr təˌfækt /

especially British, artefact

noun

1. any object made by human beings, especially with a view to subsequent use.

2. a handmade object, as a tool, or the remains of one, as a shard of pottery, characteristic of an earlier time or cultural stage, especially such an object found at an archaeological excavation.

3. any mass-produced, usually inexpensive object reflecting contemporary society or popular culture.

   artifacts of the pop rock generation.

4. a substance or structure not naturally present in the matter being observed but formed by artificial means, as during preparation of a microscope slide.

5. a spurious observation or result arising from preparatory or investigative procedures.

6. any feature that is not naturally present but is a product of an extrinsic agent, method, or the like.

   statistical artifacts that make the inflation rate seem greater than it is.

7. Digital Technology. a visible or audible anomaly introduced in the processing or transmission of digital data: Ghosting artifacts in an MRI are usually the result of patient movement during a scan.

   Your computer might need a new graphics card if you see green pixels where you should not, or other graphics artifacts.

   Ghosting artifacts in an MRI are usually the result of patient movement during a scan.

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verb (used with object)

1. Digital Technology. to introduce a visible or audible anomaly in (an image or audio file) during the processing or transmission of digital data: The video appears to be heavily artifacted.

   Compression may artifact your recording with clicking or echoing sounds.

   The video appears to be heavily artifacted.

artifact British  

/ ˈɑːtɪˌfækt /

noun

1. a variant spelling of artefact

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artifact Scientific  

/ är′tə-făkt′ /

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.

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Other Word Forms

• artifactual adjective

Etymology

Origin of artifact

First recorded in 1815–25; variant of artefact (a spelling first recorded in 1625–50 ) from Latin phrase arte factum “(something) made with skill.” See art ¹, fact

Example Sentences

"At first we assumed it was a measurement artifact or some kind of interference," recalls Schultheiß.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026

By including this artifact of his digital process, Gomez acknowledges that the painting’s subject is not reality as experienced on the streets of the city, but a constructed proposition.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

This has turned sea silk into a historical artifact rather than a living craft, with only tiny amounts produced today by a small number of artisans.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

Over time, the journal becomes more than notes: it’s a map of your palate and a small artifact of your growth in the kitchen.

From Salon • Dec. 20, 2025

As the artifact’s seller made sure to point out in his auction listing, if you used the tablet’s power in conjunction with the Scoreboard, it arguably became the most valuable artifact in the entire OASIS.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Related Words

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