ar‧ti‧fact /ˈɑːtəfækt, ˈɑːtɪfækt $ ˈɑːr-/ noun [countable] especially American English
another spelling of artefact

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

thing used when you do not need to say the name, or when you do not know the name:
What’s that thing on the kitchen table?
Have you got all your things?
something a thing – used when you are not sure what the thing is:
There’s something on your shirt.
object especially written a solid thing:
a sharp metal object
item formal a particular kind of thing, or one of a group of things:
household items
a luxury item
an item of equipment
The items included pieces of old pottery.
You are not allowed to take sharp items onto the plane.
article formal a particular kind of thing, or one of a group of things. Article is very formal, and is used especially in the phrase an article of clothing:
They found several articles of clothing in the bushes.
suspicious articles
Each article has a card with it giving more information.
artifact (also artefact) formal an object that someone has made, especially one that is very old and has historical value:
The museum has a collection of early Roman artifacts.
thingy (also thingamajig/thingamabob) spoken informal a thing – used especially when you cannot remember the name of the thing, but often the other person knows what you are talking about:
Can you pass me the thingy?

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲