excavation

noun

ex·​ca·​va·​tion ˌek-skə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce excavation (audio)
Synonyms of excavationnext
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.
In the weeks after, excavations revealed a full juvenile skeleton, thought to belong to a 4- to 5-year old. — Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 10 Mar. 2025 Seven years into excavations at a Tang Dynasty site in eastern China, archaeologists have uncovered a rare ceramic found only a few times in history. — Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2025 The ceramic figurines, which date back to around 400 B.C., were found during excavations at San Isidro, in El Salvador's Sonsonate district. — Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025 Just last year, new excavations revealed the skeletons of two people who didn't die from the choking air or searing hot lava flows, but instead might be the first two ever found who died from the seismic activity accompanying the disaster. — Michael Franco, New Atlas, 28 Feb. 2025 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

Rhymes for excavation

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Browse Nearby Words

excavation
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Cite this Entry

“Excavation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excavation. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

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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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