Är'ti-fice, n.
n. [Fr. artifice, Pr. artifici, Lat. artificium, from artifex, artificer, from ars, artis, art, and facere, to make.]
Sense 1. Artful or skillful contrivance; an artful or ingenious device, in a good or a bad sense. In a bad sense, it corresponds with trick or fraud. “The skill of artifice or office mean.” Milton.
The material universe . . . is the artifice of God, the artifice of the best Mechanist. Cudworth.
Sense 2. Art; trade; skill acquired by science or practice. [Obs.] Browne.