excavation
Americannoun
-
a hole or cavity made by excavating.
-
the act of excavating.
-
an area in which excavating has been done or is in progress, as an archaeological site.
Related Words
See hole.
Other Word Forms
- excavational adjective
- nonexcavation noun
- reexcavation noun
Etymology
Origin of excavation
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin excavātiōn- (stem of excavātiō ) “a hollowing.” See excavate, -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Police said it happened when a 60-year-old employee at the firm was operating the heavy excavation equipment used to scrap old cars.
From BBC
But it was only in 1818, after excavations carried out in utmost secrecy, that his tomb was rediscovered.
From Barron's
According to experts, these excavations demonstrate that death did not represent an end for these societies, but a transition to another phase where social status remained important.
From Barron's
Olde does not know if Tiny is among the dead or not and has urged Essex Police to undertake a full excavation of the compound.
From BBC
The team found artillery, coins and ceramics during the excavations in 2020, providing more clues that the place was the site of a battle.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
