artifact

American  

[ahr-tuh-fakt] / ˈɑr təˌfækt /

especially British, artefact

noun

• artifacts
  plural

1. any object made by human beings, especially with a view to subsequent use.

2. a handmade object, as a tool, or the remains of one, as a shard of pottery, characteristic of an earlier time or cultural stage, especially such an object found at an archaeological excavation.

3. any mass-produced, usually inexpensive object reflecting contemporary society or popular culture.

   artifacts of the pop rock generation.

4. a substance or structure not naturally present in the matter being observed but formed by artificial means, as during preparation of a microscope slide.

5. a spurious observation or result arising from preparatory or investigative procedures.

6. any feature that is not naturally present but is a product of an extrinsic agent, method, or the like.

   statistical artifacts that make the inflation rate seem greater than it is.

7. Digital Technology. a visible or audible anomaly introduced in the processing or transmission of digital data: Ghosting artifacts in an MRI are usually the result of patient movement during a scan.

   Your computer might need a new graphics card if you see green pixels where you should not, or other graphics artifacts.

   Ghosting artifacts in an MRI are usually the result of patient movement during a scan.

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verb (used with object)

1. Digital Technology. to introduce a visible or audible anomaly in (an image or audio file) during the processing or transmission of digital data: The video appears to be heavily artifacted.

   Compression may artifact your recording with clicking or echoing sounds.

   The video appears to be heavily artifacted.

artifact British  

/ ˈɑːtɪˌfækt /

noun

1. a variant spelling of artefact

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artifact Scientific  

/ är′tə-făkt′ /

1. An object produced or shaped by human craft, especially a tool, weapon, or ornament of archaeological or historical interest.

2. An artificial product or effect observed in a natural system, especially one introduced by the technology used in scientific investigation or by experimental error.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• artifactual
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• artifacts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of artifact

First recorded in 1815–25; variant of artefact (a spelling first recorded in 1625–50 ) from Latin phrase arte factum “(something) made with skill.” See art ¹, fact

Explanation

An artifact is a man-made object that has some kind of cultural significance. If you find a 12th-century vase, it's an artifact of that time. Don't drop it! Artifact is a combination of two Latin words, arte, meaning "by skill" and factum which means "to make." Usually when you use the word artifact, you are describing something crafted that was used for a particular purpose during a much earlier time.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

artifact artifacts

For archaeologists, an object's location and its relationship to nearby finds can be just as informative as the artifact itself.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026

Damage and deformation on the artifact suggest that the bone was still relatively fresh when it was shaped and used.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026

Penner, the library's curator of African and Near Eastern Manuscripts, said the actors had been excited to see the text, with Holland being "super interested" in the artifact.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

One such artifact is an unsigned, undated and unpublished letter found in the papers of President Andrew Johnson.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

"This is actually a rare and valuable artifact passed down for generations. Lancelot used it, so did Sir Gawain, and for a time the Black Knight kept it on a chain next to his heart."

From "Freak The Mighty" by Rodman Philbrick

Waters has encountered complete artifacts while working with shipwreck collections, where intact objects are more common.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026

The research arrives as the British Museum prepares to open a major exhibition featuring the Bayeux Tapestry, one of the best-known surviving artifacts connected with the Norman Conquest.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

"Israel feels responsible to look after the archaeology, the artifacts, the history of this land," he says.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Unlike in 1986, when many of the artifacts, especially the elephant tusks, decomposed after being exposed to the open air, Ran improvised a new system for the dig.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

As for the types of artifacts made, the Chatham Islanders required little more than hand-held clubs and sticks to kill seals, birds, and lobsters.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• amount
• brand
• commodity
• crop
• device
• fruit
• merchandise
• output
• produce
• production
• profit
• stock
• work