archaeology

noun

ar·​chae·​ol·​o·​gy ˌär-kē-ˈä-lə-jē How to pronounce archaeology (audio)
variants or archeology
1
: the scientific study of material remains (such as tools, pottery, jewelry, stone walls, and monuments) of past human life and activities
2
: remains of the culture of a people : antiquities
the archaeology of the Incas
archaeological adjective
archaeologically adverb
archaeologist noun

Examples of archaeology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Here are three of our most recent eye-catching archaeology stories. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2025 Before joining the Discover team as an assistant editor in 2022, Sam studied journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. human origins fossils archaeology anthropology 1 free article left Want More? Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025 According to Szymański, archaeology is more of a challenge in El Salvador than in the neighboring countries—with many sites obscured by volcanic eruptions and the republic's high population density making excavation difficult. Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025 Officials also fired about eight staffers from the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, including workers focused on archaeology, wildlife research and emergency medical response, according to Deanna Armbruster, executive director of the Santa Monica Mountains Fund. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for archaeology

Word History

Etymology

French archéologie, from Late Latin archaeologia antiquarian lore, from Greek archaiologia, from archaio- + -logia -logy

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of archaeology was in 1782

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Cite this Entry

“Archaeology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/archaeology. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

archaeology

noun
ar·​chae·​ol·​o·​gy
variants or archeology
: the science that deals with past human life as shown by fossil relics and the monuments and tools left by ancient peoples
archaeological adjective
archaeologist noun

More from Merriam-Webster on archaeology

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