artifact

or ar·te·fact

[ ahr-tuh-fakt ]
/ ˈɑr təˌfækt /

noun

any object made by human beings, especially with a view to subsequent use.
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.
any mass-produced, usually inexpensive object reflecting contemporary society or popular culture: artifacts of the pop rock generation.
a substance or structure not naturally present in the matter being observed but formed by artificial means, as during preparation of a microscope slide.
a spurious observation or result arising from preparatory or investigative procedures.
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.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?
Question 1 of 10
earnest
full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.
a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.
urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.
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Origin of artifact

1815–25; variant of artefact < Latin phrase arte factum (something) made with skill. See art1, fact

OTHER WORDS FROM artifact

ar·ti·fac·tu·al [ahr-tuh-fak-choo-uh l] /ˌɑr təˈfæk tʃu əl/, adjective

Words nearby artifact

articulator, articulatory feature, articulatory loop, articulatory phonetics, artie, artifact, artifacting, artifactitious, artifice, artificer, artificial
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for artifactual

  • Speculation goes as far as to suggest that these human beings became increasingly dependent on artifactual means of notation.

    The Civilization of Illiteracy|Mihai Nadin

British Dictionary definitions for artifactual

artifact
/ (ˈɑːtɪˌfækt) /

noun

a variant spelling of artefact
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for artifactual

artifact

n.

A structure or substance not normally present but produced by an external agent or action, such as a structure seen in a microscopic specimen after fixation that is not present in the living tissue.
A skin lesion produced or perpetuated by self-inflicted action.

Other words from artifact

ar′ti•fac•ti′tious (-făk-tĭsh′əs) null adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for artifactual

artifact

An object produced or shaped by human craft, especially a tool, weapon, or ornament of archaeological or historical interest.
An artificial product or effect observed in a natural system, especially one introduced by the technology used in scientific investigation or by experimental error.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.