artifact

The definition of an artifact is something made by humans and often is a primitive tool, structure, or part of a functional item.

(noun)

An example of an artifact would be a cooking pot found by archaeologists that Ancient Romans might have used.

See artifact in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

any object made by human work; esp., a simple or primitive tool, weapon, vessel, etc.
Histology any nonnatural feature or structure accidentally introduced into something being observed or studied

Origin: L arte, by skill (abl. of ars, art) + factum, thing made (see fact)

See artifact in American Heritage Dictionary 4

also ar·te·fact

noun

An object produced or shaped by human craft, especially a tool, weapon, or ornament of archaeological or historical interest.
Something viewed as a product of human conception or agency rather than an inherent element: “The very act of looking at a naked model was an artifact of male supremacy” (Philip Weiss).
A structure or feature not normally present but visible as a result of an external agent or action, such as one seen in a microscopic specimen after fixation, or in an image produced by radiology or electrocardiography.
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.

Origin:

Origin: Latin arte

Origin: , ablative of ars, art; see art¹

Origin: + factum, something made (from neuter past participle of facere, to make; see dhē- in Indo-European roots)

Related Forms: