ar ‧ ti ‧ fact /ˈɑːtəfækt, ˈɑːtɪfækt $ ˈɑːr-/ BrE AmE noun [countable] especially American English
another spelling of ↑ artefact
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THESAURUS
▪ thing used when you do not need to say the name, or when you do not know the name:
What’s that thing on the kitchen table?
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Have you got all your things?
▪ something a thing – used when you are not sure what the thing is:
There’s something on your shirt.
▪ object especially written a solid thing:
a sharp metal object
▪ item formal a particular kind of thing, or one of a group of things:
household items
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a luxury item
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an item of equipment
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The items included pieces of old pottery.
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You are not allowed to take sharp items onto the plane.
▪ article formal a particular kind of thing, or one of a group of things. Article is very formal, and is used especially in the phrase an article of clothing :
They found several articles of clothing in the bushes.
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suspicious articles
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Each article has a card with it giving more information.
▪ artifact ( also artefact ) formal an object that someone has made, especially one that is very old and has historical value:
The museum has a collection of early Roman artifacts.
▪ thingy ( also thingamajig/thingamabob ) spoken informal a thing – used especially when you cannot remember the name of the thing, but often the other person knows what you are talking about:
Can you pass me the thingy?