'artifactual' originates from English, specifically formed from the noun 'artifact' plus the adjectival suffix '-al' (meaning 'relating to'). 'Artifact' itself comes from Latin elements 'ars/arte' (skill, by art) and 'factum' (made).

'artifactual' developed in modern English by adding '-al' to the earlier English word 'artifact' (which entered English via Late Latin/Old French from Latin 'arte factum'). The adjective form arose after the noun was established in the language.

Initially, the Latin-rooted terms referred simply to things 'made by skill' or 'manufactured objects'; over time English 'artifact' kept the sense of a human-made object and also gained a technical sense in science (an observation or feature produced by the method). 'Artifactual' therefore now means 'relating to artifacts' or 'caused by artifact/measurement'.