archaeo-

a combining form meaning “ancient,” used in the formation of compound words: archaeopteryx; archaeology.

Nearby words

arch. e., archaea, archaean, archaebacteria, archaebacterium, archaeo-, archaeoastronomy, archaeobotany, archaeocyathid, archaeocyte, archaeol.

Also archeo-.

Origin of archaeo-

< Greek, combining form of archaîos, equivalent to arch- (see archi-) + -aios adj. suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for archaeo-

archaeo-

archeo-

combining form

indicating ancient or primitive time or conditionarchaeology; archaeopteryx

of, involving, or denoting the study of remains from archaeological sitesarchaeozoology

Word Origin for archaeo-

from Greek arkhaio-, from arkhaios, from arkhein to begin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for archaeo-

archaeo-

before vowels archae-, word-forming element meaning "ancient, olden, primitive, primeval, from the beginning," from Latinized form of Greek arkhaio-, comb. form of arkhaios "ancient," from arkhe "beginning" (see archon).