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artefact

British  
/ ˈɑːtɪˌfækt /

noun

  1. something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest

  2. anything man-made, such as a spurious experimental result

  3. cytology a structure seen in tissue after death, fixation, staining, etc, that is not normally present in the living tissue

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of artefact

C19: from Latin phrase arte factum, from ars skill + facere to make

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Police will allege the man was found in possession of the last missing artefact, the wooden cat sculpture," they said.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

Visitors can also see the Khufu Sun Boat, described as the oldest and largest wooden artefact in human history, while a second solar boat is being restored.

From Barron's • Nov. 4, 2025

On 22 August a French official overseeing the loan defended the move, saying the artefact was not too fragile to transport.

From BBC • Aug. 30, 2025

The rare artefact dates back to 1830 and was purchased by the museum at an auction last year.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2025

According to these historians, replication is a social artefact, not a natural fact.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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