archaeologist
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of archaeologist
Explanation
An archaeologist is a scientist who studies human history by digging up human remains and artifacts. Lucy, the oldest human known to man — nearly 3.2 million years old — was dug up in Ethiopia by archaeologist. We know about the history of the human species thanks to archaeologists who spend countless hours sifting through dirt and digging through ruins to find evidence of human life from across time. The word archaeologist can also be spelled archeologist. It comes from the Greek root archaeo-, for "ancient, primitive."
Vocabulary lists containing archaeologist
Play by the Rules: Arch
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Occupations
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The Origins of Civilization, Lessons 1–2
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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.
The discovery was "just incredible" and "something we couldn't dream of", said Harriet Eaton who runs a Young Archaeologist Club as part of her role as Heritage Education Officer for Neath Port Talbot council.
From BBC • Jan. 11, 2026
Archaeologist Stephen Young says Mr Derby "embodies the best of what it means to be a metal detectorist and an archaeological enthusiast".
From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025
Archaeologist Rocco Palermo of Bryn Mawr College, who wasn’t involved in the study, says spy satellite photos have become a vital resource for researchers and their detailed examination is a crucial advance.
From National Geographic • Oct. 25, 2023
So, right from the first woman: The book opens with "A for Archaeologist."
From Salon • Oct. 22, 2023
"Well, Mr. Archaeologist," the Baron said at last, allowing his big cigar to settle well into one corner of his mouth, "there is the devil to pay."
From The Heart of Rome by Crawford, F. Marion (Francis Marion)
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.
