Artifact
noun /ˈɑː.tɪ.fækt/ — An object made or modified by humans, especially from the past.
Definition
An object made or modified by human culture, especially one that has archaeological or historical significance. Artifacts are the physical evidence of past lives — what survives of people who could not survive.
Beyond the definition
To hold an artifact is to hold time — a shard of pottery from a kitchen two thousand years ago. The distance collapses.
Origin & history
From Latin 'arte factum' (something made by art/skill). In English since the early 19th century.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The museum's oldest artifact was a flint handaxe — 400,000 years of human presence in three pounds of shaped stone.
Every artifact is a choice: whatever survived tells us as much about what was worth keeping as about what was made.
She kept artifacts of her childhood in a box — a broken watch, a letter, a photograph — things that held time still.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Artifact” when the meaning fits your context: An object made or modified by human culture, especially one that has archaeological or historical significance. Artifacts are the physical evidence of past lives — what survives of people who could not survive.
Synonyms
Antonyms
natural object
Related words
Artifact vs ecofact
An artifact is an object modified by human hands. An ecofact is an organic remain, like seeds or bones, that provides data but wasn't crafted by humans.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Archaeologist studying ancient items
An archaeologist studies a worn seal with a spiral, a small tablet with geometric shapes, and a clay pot.
These objects are physical evidence of past human culture. They serve as artifacts, providing the tangible, surviving history of people who cannot speak for themselves.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Artifact" mean?
Artifact is noun meaning: An object made or modified by humans, especially from the past.. An object made or modified by human culture, especially one that has archaeological or historical significance. Artifacts are the physical evidence of past lives — what survives of people who could not survive.
Where does the word "Artifact" come from?
From Latin 'arte factum' (something made by art/skill). In English since the early 19th century.