Artifact
/ˈɑːrtɪfækt/
Definitions
2 meaningsAn object made by a human being, typically one of historical or cultural interest.
/ˈɑːrtɪfækt/
An object made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest.
The ancient vase was a valuable artifact.
💡 Simply: An old thing made by people.
More Examples
The museum displayed a collection of Egyptian artifacts.
How It's Used
"The dig uncovered several artifacts from the Bronze Age."
"The museum's collection boasted a wide array of artifacts from around the world."
An incidental byproduct or flaw in a system or process.
/ˈɑːrtɪfækt/
In software, an unintended by-product or flaw in a system.
Debugging the software revealed several artifacts in the data.
💡 Simply: An error or unwanted result in a computer system.
How It's Used
"The software engineers worked to remove the artifacts from the system."
From Middle French artefact, from Latin arte factum, literally 'something made by art (or skill)', from ars 'art, skill' + factum 'made' (past participle of facere 'to make').
The word's usage has shifted slightly over time, with a greater emphasis on its cultural and historical significance in recent usage.
Memory tip
Think 'art' and 'fact' – something skillfully made and a fact of history.
Word Origin
"something made by art or skill"