Artifact Definition

ärtəfakt

artifacts

noun

artifacts

Any object made by human work; esp., a simple or primitive tool, weapon, vessel, etc.

Webster's New World

Any nonnatural feature or structure accidentally introduced into something being observed or studied.

Webster's New World

A phenomenon or feature not originally present or expected and caused by an interfering external agent, action, or process, as an unwanted feature in a microscopic specimen after fixation, in a digitally reproduced image, or in a digital audio recording.

American Heritage Medicine

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.

American Heritage Medicine

An object made or shaped by human hand.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Synonyms:
artefact

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
natural object

Other Word Forms of Artifact

Noun

Singular:

artifact

Plural:

artifacts

Origin of Artifact

Latin arte ablative of ars art art¹ factum something made (from) (neuter past participle of facere to make dhē- in Indo-European roots)

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Alteration of artefact, from Italian artefatto, from Latin arte (“by skill”), (ablative of ars (“art”)) + factum (“thing made”), from facere

From Wiktionary