artefact

USAGE SUMMARY

"artefact" is an accepted word in written English, and it can be used to refer to something made by humans, particularly something of historical or cultural significance.
For example: "The museum featured a variety of artefacts dating back centuries ago."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

To not address this and refine a text accordingly, purely because it would be an inaccurate representation of the original source artefact, seems bull-headed.

The Guardian

The emergence of new small presses committed to the book as artefact has generated an excitement this year.

The Guardian - Books

The artefact was, in fact, a mask head fresh from the set of new comedy Frank, directed by Ireland's Lenny Abrahamson, written with Jon Ronson and Peter Straughan, and starring Fassbender, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Domhnall Gleeson.

The Guardian - Film

Inspiration matters, but in the end it is filling the space with an artefact, and doing so promptly".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

– a remarkable life, painted by numbers A spinoff series from the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, with Hiccup and Toothless back and mucking about with the Dragon Eye, "an ancient artefact that unlocks secrets".

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Yet for all the grotesque and demeaning messages that GTAV contains, it remains an important cultural artefact, hugely popular and influential.

The Guardian - Opinion

"It's an archaeological artefact," a woman tells me, pointing to her wind-catcher.

The Guardian

The most prized artefact, of course, should be the store itself – a garish, ramshackle funhouse that for decades held the world record for most electric lights on a building – were it not for the fact that Honest Ed's is slated for demolition on New Years Evee, 2016.

The Guardian

Ezrafact: this jaunty number is the only song in this week's top 40 to include the word "artefact" in its lyrics.

The Guardian - Music

It also houses a curious artefact.

The Guardian - Travel

No, not a treasure, but worth protecting all the same, as a curiously resilient artefact from Labour's misspent past.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about archaeological discoveries, use "artefact" to highlight the object's human origin and cultural significance, providing context about its creation and purpose to enhance reader understanding.

Common error

Avoid using "artefact" to describe natural phenomena or objects that are not man-made; reserve it exclusively for items created or modified by human activity to maintain accuracy and relevance.

Linguistic Context

The word "artefact" functions primarily as a noun, referring to an object made or modified by humans, particularly one of historical or cultural significance. Ludwig examples showcase its use in diverse contexts, from archaeology to cultural commentary.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "artefact" is a grammatically correct and commonly used noun referring to an object made or modified by humans, especially one of historical or cultural interest. As Ludwig AI indicates, the word is appropriate for a wide range of contexts, including news, science, and formal writing. While "artefact" and "artifact" are interchangeable depending on the spelling convention used (British vs American English), understanding the subtle nuances conveyed by related terms such as "relic" or "historical object" can enhance the precision of your writing. Remember to use "artefact" only for man-made items and provide context to highlight its historical or cultural significance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

artifact

Variant spelling, primarily used in American English.

historical artifact

More specific, emphasizing the historical significance.

cultural relic

Highlights the cultural importance of the object.

ancient object

Focuses on the age of the artifact.

archaeological find

Emphasizes discovery through archaeology.

relic

Shorter, often implies religious or historical importance.

artifact of the past

Highlights temporal distance and origin.

cultural heritage object

Formal term emphasizing cultural significance.

historical remain

Underscores the artifact as a surviving remnant.

manufactured item

Focuses on the object being man-made.

FAQs

How do you use "artefact" in a sentence?

The museum's collection includes a diverse range of artefacts from various ancient civilizations.

What's the difference between "artifact" and "artefact"?

"Artefact" is the British English spelling, while "artifact" is the American English spelling. Both refer to the same thing: an object made by humans, typically one of cultural or historical interest.

What can I say instead of "artefact"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "relic", "historical object", or "cultural relic".

Is "artefact" a formal or informal term?

"Artefact" is generally considered a neutral to formal term, suitable for academic, journalistic, and professional contexts.