artifact

[ ahr-tuh-fakt ]

/ ˈɑr təˌfækt /

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See synonyms for artifact on Thesaurus.com

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.

Digital Technology. a visible or audible anomaly introduced in the processing or transmission of digital data: 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)

Digital Technology. to introduce a visible or audible anomaly in (an image or audio file) during the processing or transmission of digital data: Compression may artifact your recording with clicking or echoing sounds.The video appears to be heavily artifacted.

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Also especially British, ar·te·fact .

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 art¹, fact

OTHER WORDS FROM artifact

ar·ti·fac·tu·al

[ahr-tuh-fak-choo-uhl], /ˌɑr təˈfæk tʃu əl/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use artifact in a sentence

The boat was preserved, displayed at the Naval Academy for over 50 years, and then transferred to the artifact collection.
Giant anchors, wrecked boats and a ‘Liberty’ clock: Inside the storage site for Navy museum|Michael Ruane|November 10, 2020|Washington Post
But, zoom in and you’ll start noticing artifacts that aren’t very appealing.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max might be worth it—for the camera alone|Stan Horaczek|November 10, 2020|Popular-Science
Scientists have also spent years going over the Kepler data with a fine-toothed comb, correcting various blips and artifacts to increase the confidence that only real, confirmed exoplanets remain.
There Could Be 300 Million (or More) Earth-Like Planets in Our Galaxy|Jason Dorrier|November 8, 2020|Singularity Hub
A cut-paper crown sits inside a glass box, as if in a museum display of regal artifacts.
In the galleries: Referencing the revered Washington colorists and beyond|Mark Jenkins|November 6, 2020|Washington Post

It was an artifact of the old rotary phones, where to enter a number you had to insert a finger into a hole in the dial and rotate it to the right until it hit the “finger stop” bar.
Gene Weingarten: Maybe the past is only a phone call away|Gene Weingarten|November 5, 2020|Washington Post
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 artifact

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 artifact

artifact

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.

Scientific definitions for artifact

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.

artifact

Origin of artifact

OTHER WORDS FROM artifact

Words related to artifact

How to use artifact in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for artifact

Medical definitions for artifact

Other words from artifact

Scientific definitions for artifact