excavation

noun

ex·​ca·​va·​tion ˌek-skə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce excavation (audio)
1
: the action or process of excavating
2
: a cavity formed by cutting, digging, or scooping
excavational
ˌek-skə-ˈvā-sh(ə-)nəl
-shə-nᵊl
adjective

Examples of excavation 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.
During this year's excavations, archaeologists unearthed two previously unknown shrines within the Ninurta Temple—one larger than the other. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024 Archaeological excavations near the city of Aghdam have revealed grape seeds and petrified clay jars that date back 3,500 years. Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024 The seed had been discovered in a cave during a 1980s excavation at Wadi el-Makkuk, a winter water channel in the northern Judean desert, and was languishing in storage. Franz Lidz, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2024 Weighing in at 115 pounds and standing two feet tall, the stone was discovered in 1913 during excavations for a new railway line in the southern part of what is Israel today. Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for excavation 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin excavātiōn-, excavātiō, from excavāre "to hollow out, excavate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of excavation was circa 1611

Dictionary Entries Near excavation

Cite this Entry

“Excavation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excavation. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

excavation

noun
ex·​ca·​va·​tion ˌek-skə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce excavation (audio)
1
: the act or process of excavating
2
: a hollowed-out place formed by excavating

Medical Definition

excavation

noun
ex·​ca·​va·​tion ˌek-skə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce excavation (audio)
1
: the action or process of excavating
2
: a cavity formed by or as if by cutting, digging, or scooping
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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