excavate

[ eks-kuh-veyt ]

verb (used with object)

, ex·ca·vat·ed, ex·ca·vat·ing.

1. to make hollow by removing the inner part; make a hole or cavity in; form into a hollow, as by digging:

   The ground was excavated for a foundation.

2. to make (a hole, tunnel, etc.) by removing material.
3. to dig or scoop out (earth, sand, etc.).
4. to expose or lay bare by or as if by digging; unearth:

   to excavate an ancient city.

excavate

/ ˈɛkskəˌveɪt /

verb

1. to remove (soil, earth, etc) by digging; dig out
2. to make (a hole, cavity, or tunnel) in (solid matter) by hollowing or removing the centre or inner part

   to excavate a tooth

3. to unearth (buried objects) methodically in an attempt to discover information about the past

Derived Forms

• ˌexcaˈvation, noun

Other Words From

• re·exca·vate verb (used with object) reexcavated reexcavating
• un·exca·vated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of excavate¹

1590–1600; < Latin excavātus (past participle of excavāre to hollow out), equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + cav ( um ) hollow, cave + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of excavate¹

C16: from Latin excavāre, from cavāre to make hollow, from cavus hollow

Example Sentences

In London, I'd travel miles to Congolese shops to excavate bags of attiéké from the permafrost at the bottom of a chest freezer, stockpiling it for dinner guests I could evangelise.

From BBC

Mr Goudie said there was "no duty" on the council to excavate its landfill site at the request of Mr Howells.

From BBC

The Belize Institute of Archaeology provided an archaeological permit, granting permission to excavate in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.

From Science Daily

The Crooked Tree Village Council welcomed the research team and permitted them to map and excavate in the wetlands around their community.

From Science Daily

"Nilpena is perhaps the best fossil site for understanding early animal evolution in the world because the fossils occur during a period of heightened diversity and we are able to excavate extensive layers of rock that preserve these snapshots," said Scott Evans, an assistant professor of Earth-Life interactions at Florida State University and co-author of the study.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• scrape
• shovel
• uncover
• unearth