artefact(n = noun.tops) artifact - a man-made object taken as a whole;
is a kind of unit, whole
has particulars: article, facility, americana, anachronism, antiquity, block, button, commodity, good, trade good, cone, covering, creation, decker, decoration, ornament, ornamentation, electroplate, excavation, duplicate, extra, cloth, fabric, material, textile, facility, installation, fixture, float, insert, inset, instrumentality, instrumentation, bed, layer, lemon, stinker, line, marker, mystification, opening, cushioning, padding, plaything, toy, ready-made, restoration, flat solid, sheet, sphere, square, squeaker, slip, strip, construction, structure, surface, thing, track, way, weight, building material, pavement, paving, paving material
Derived form adjective artefactual1
same as artifact. [WordNet 1.5]
artefact, n. (also artifact)
1 a product of human art and workmanship.
2 Archaeol. a product of prehistoric or aboriginal workmanship as distinguished from a similar object naturally produced.
3 Biol. etc. a feature not naturally present, introduced during preparation or investigation (e.g. as in the preparation of a slide).
Derivative:
artefactual adj. (in senses 1 and 2).
Etymology:
L arte (ablat. of ars art) + factum (neut. past part. of facere make)