'ARTIFICE, noun [Latin artificium, from ars, art, and facio, to make.] 1. Stratagem; an artful or ingenious device, in a good or bad sense. In a bad sense, it corresponds with trick, or fraud. 2. Art; trade; skill acquired by science or practice. [Rarely used.]
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI