# artifact

/ˈɑɹtəˌfækt/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/artifact
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. historical object

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

an object made by a human being, typically one that is of historical or cultural interest.

For teachers: an object produced or shaped by human craft, especially a tool, weapon, or ornament of archaeological or historical significance.

- The museum displayed several gold artifacts found in the ancient tomb.
- Archaeologists recovered a variety of stone artifacts from the site, providing crucial evidence about the hunting techniques of the early inhabitants.

Usage: In British English, the spelling 'artefact' is more common.

### 2. digital distortion

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a mistake or strange mark in a digital image, video, or sound file caused by a computer error.

For teachers: a perceptible distortion or error in an image, audio, or video file resulting from digital processing or compression algorithms.

- The video was low quality and had many strange artifacts on the screen.
- Heavy compression of the image file resulted in noticeable blocky artifacts, particularly in the darker areas of the photograph.

### 3. scientific error

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

something seen in a scientific test that is not really there, but is caused by the way the test was done.

For teachers: a finding or structure in an experiment that is not a true feature of the object under observation but a result of experimental error or preparation.

- The doctor explained that the shadow on the X-ray was just an artifact of the machine.
- The researchers realized the unusual cellular structures were actually artifacts created during the staining process rather than biological features.

## Examples

- The museum displays ancient artifacts from the Roman Empire.
- Archaeologists carefully cleaned the pottery shards to reveal the painted designs on the artifact.
- The digital artifact in the photograph was not a ghost, but a compression error caused by saving the image too many times.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.