Meaning & use
artefact
Last updated
an object made by a human, especially one of historical or cultural interest.
See it in a sentence
Archaeologists uncovered pottery artefacts dating back three thousand years.
The museum's collection includes artefacts from ancient Egypt.
A note on using this word
'Artefact' is the standard British spelling; American English typically uses 'artifact.' In science, it can also mean an unwanted result created by the testing process itself.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. noun
an unwanted feature or result in an experiment or image caused by the method used, rather than reflecting reality.
The strange lines on the scan turned out to be an artefact of the imaging equipment, not a real feature.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “artefact”, then compare your use with the examples above.