artifact

noun

ar·​ti·​fact ˈär-ti-ˌfakt 

1

a

: a usually simple object (such as a tool or ornament) showing human workmanship or modification as distinguished from a natural object

especially : an object remaining from a particular period

caves containing prehistoric artifacts

b

: something characteristic of or resulting from a particular human institution, period, trend, or individual

… morality is an artifact of human culture, devised to help us negotiate social relations.

—Michael Pollan

c

: something or someone arising from or associated with an earlier time especially when regarded as no longer appropriate, relevant, or important

… that over-simplified but eloquent quality that keeps Jefferson alive for us while Washington and Adams, his superiors in so many other respects, are artifacts of a quaint and lost world.

—Jack Rakove

2

a

: a product of artificial character (as in a scientific test) due usually to extraneous (such as human) agency

b

: an electrocardiographic and electroencephalographic wave that arises from sources other than the heart or brain

c

: a defect in an image (such as a digital photograph) that appears as a result of the technology and methods used to create and process the image

… can produce a very good picture, but there will be some loss of detail and some color artifacts such as adjacent colors bleeding into each other.

—Consumer Reports

artifactual

ˌär-ti-ˈfak-chə(-wə)l 

-ˈfak-shwəl

-chü-əl

adjective

Did you know?

One of the things that make humans unique is their ability to make and use tools, and ever since the first rough stone axes began to appear about 700,000 years ago, human cultures have left behind artifacts from which we've tried to draw a picture of their everyday life. The roots of artifact mean basically "something made with skill;" thus, a mere stone that was used for pounding isn't an artifact, since it wasn't shaped by humans for its purpose—unlike a ram's horn that was polished and given a brass mouthpiece and was blown as part of a religious ritual.

Examples of artifact in a Sentence

The caves contained many prehistoric artifacts.

an artifact from the Colonial period

Recent Examples on the Web

The Saratoga History Museum showcases artifacts, photographs and exhibits that tell the story of Saratoga’s rich history. —Yan Zhao, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024

The other is a collection of objects taken by anthropologist Jesse Fewkes, sent by the Smithsonian to Puerto Rico after the Spanish-American War of 1898 to gather Indigenous artifacts from the island. —Jacoba Urist, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024

Doing this requires a balance that includes retaining some traditional and historical artifacts while being open to new influences and ideas that can help organizations move forward. —Steve Durbin, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

But first, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum got a haul, coming away with enough Dodgers artifacts to outfit what promises to be a cool display in Cooperstown. —Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin arte factus "made by human agency," from Latin arte "by skill or craft" (ablative of art-, ars "acquired skill, craftmanship") + factus, past participle of facere "to make, bring about, do" — more at art entry 1, fact

Note: The usual American spelling artifact—opposed to artefact in the British Isles and elsewhere—shows assimilation to Latin compounds with arti- (see artifice).

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

artifact

noun

ar·​ti·​fact ˈärt-i-ˌfakt 

: a usually simple object (as a tool or ornament) showing human work and representing a culture or a stage in the development of a culture

Medical Definition

artifact

noun

ar·​ti·​fact

variants or chiefly British artefact

ˈärt-ə-ˌfakt 

1

: a product of artificial character due to extraneous (as human) agency

specifically : a product or formation in a microscopic preparation of a fixed tissue or cell that is caused by manipulation or reagents and is not indicative of actual structural relationships

2

: an electrocardiographic and electroencephalographic wave that arises from sources other than the heart or brain

artifactual adjective

or chiefly British artefactual

ˌärt-ə-ˈfak-chə(-wə)l, -ˈfaksh-wəl