archaeological
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of archaeological
1775–85; < Greek archaiologik ( ós ) ( see archaeology, -ic) + -al 1
Explanation
An old house that has sat abandoned for hundreds of years isn’t just creepy — it’s archaeological! This is because its remains offer a treasure trove of details about the past and the lives of those who once called it home. The term archaeological describes anything connected to the field of archaeology, which is the study of human history and the past. Archaeological digs and findings help piece together human history like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Objects can include anything from pottery shards to old bones, adding a piece to the story of human life on Earth. It’s like time traveling through objects, where every discovery teaches us something new about our ancestors.
Vocabulary lists containing archaeological
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.
"For decades, congenital infection in archaeological remains has often been taken as strong evidence of venereal syphilis," the study's lead author Dr. Melandri Vlok said.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026
Two of the children were recovered from Man Bac, an archaeological site in northern Vietnam where previous studies had already found unusually high rates of treponemal disease.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026
Marco Carrino, a tour guide in Naples, warns against visiting open archaeological sites during the hottest hours of the day.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Demands included an analysis of the local water table, a survey for potential archaeological sites, a seismic-risk assessment and wider environmental analyses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
One test comes from an archaeological site at the edge of the Euphrates Valley in Syria, called Tell Abu Hureyra.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
