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.
Remains of the original football stadium - where Scotland famously routed England 5-1 in 1882 - were discovered following an archaeological excavation at the site in 2021.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
By combining archaeological evidence with climate and environmental records, researchers were able to build a more accurate timeline for when humans could reenter areas that had once been too harsh to inhabit.
From Science Daily • May 13, 2026
The discovery comes from the Lingjing archaeological site, where researchers have spent more than 10 years excavating animal bones and sophisticated stone tools linked to an extinct human relative called Homo juluensis.
From Science Daily • May 9, 2026
The second protocol states that archaeological excavations on occupied land are prohibited unless required for the preservation or inventory of cultural property.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026
The first archaeological signs of something different within the Austronesian realm come from—Taiwan.
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.
