artifact /är″təfakt/ [L, ars, skill, facere, to make] , 1. anything artificially made; may be extraneous, irrelevant, or unwanted, such as a substance, structure, or piece of data or information. 2. (in radiography) storage, handling, or processing irregularities resulting in unwanted images or alterations in the appearance of the subject. 3. (in ethology) an object constructed by individuals of a group that provides information about cultural practices.
