artifact
Americannoun
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any object made by human beings, especially with a view to subsequent use.
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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.
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any mass-produced, usually inexpensive object reflecting contemporary society or popular culture.
artifacts of the pop rock generation.
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a substance or structure not naturally present in the matter being observed but formed by artificial means, as during preparation of a microscope slide.
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a spurious observation or result arising from preparatory or investigative procedures.
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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.
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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.
verb (used with object)
noun
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An object produced or shaped by human craft, especially a tool, weapon, or ornament of archaeological or historical interest.
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An artificial product or effect observed in a natural system, especially one introduced by the technology used in scientific investigation or by experimental error.
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Rest assured, not everyone in my field is lucky enough to find the artifacts I do.”
From Literature
Tools were like religious artifacts in the Masters house.
From Literature
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
Like everything she touches, it’s a costly artifact.
From Los Angeles Times
According to the research team, close examination of the artifacts shows that the site's inhabitants used advanced stone toolmaking techniques.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
