Understanding Artefact and Artifact: What’s the Difference?

Artefact vs. Artifact

The words artefact and artifact mean the same thing. They both talk about something made by people long ago. But why do they look different? Let’s learn about this interesting difference!

History

The word artefact is used in British English. It comes from Latin and has been used in countries like the UK and Australia. On the other hand, artifact is used in American English. It is the same word, just spelled a little differently because of the way different English speakers spell words. This often happens with English words, like “colour” and “color” or “flavour” and “flavor.”

How To Use Them

Both words are nouns. You use them to talk about old things made by humans, like tools, pots, or jewelry found by archaeologists.

Examples of “Artefact”

• The museum had a new artefact on display from ancient Egypt.
• She found an old stone artefact in her backyard.
• The artefact was over 1,000 years old.
• During the excavation, many artefacts were discovered.
• He loved studying the history behind each artefact.

Examples of “Artifact”

• The scientist examined the artifact carefully.
• The artifact was kept in a glass case at the museum.
• Many artifacts were found at the old village site.
• Each artifact tells a story about the past.
• We learned about ancient peoples by studying the artifacts they left behind.

Trick to Remember the Difference

To remember which word to use, think about where you or the people you are writing for are. If you are in the UK or Australia, use artefact. If you are in the USA, use artifact. You can also remember that artifact has an “i,” just like “I” for “in America.”

Summary

Both artefact and artifact mean the same thing: an old object made by people. The only difference is where you use the word. Use artefact for British English and artifact for American English. Now you know how to spell this word correctly based on where you are or who you are writing to!