archaeology

Or ar·che·ol·o·gy

[ahr-kee-ol-uh-jee]

noun

1. the scientific study of historic or prehistoric peoples and their cultures by analysis of their artifacts, inscriptions, monuments, and other such remains, especially those that have been excavated.

2. Rare.,  ancient history; the study of antiquity.

archaeology

/ ˌɑːkɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl, ˌɑːkɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the study of man's past by scientific analysis of the material remains of his cultures See also prehistory protohistory

archaeology

1. The scientific study of past human life and culture by the examination of physical remains, such as graves, tools, and pottery.

archaeology

1. The recovery and study of material objects, such as graves, buildings, tools, artworks, and human remains, to investigate the structure and behavior of past cultures. Archaeologists rely on physical remains as clues to the emergence and development of human societies and civilizations. Anthropologists, by contrast, to interact with living people to study their cultures.

Other Word Forms

• archaeologist noun
• archaeologically adverb
• archaeological adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of archaeology¹

First recorded in 1600–10, archaeology is from the Greek word archaiología the discussion of antiquities. See archaeo-, -logy

Word History and Origins

Origin of archaeology¹

C17: from Late Latin archaeologia, from Greek arkhaiologia study of what is ancient, from arkhaios ancient (from arkhē beginning)

Example Sentences

Equipped with lights, cameras, thrusters, and other cutting-edge high-tech devices, the Exosuit represents a major breakthrough in marine archaeology.

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It has been billed as the world’s largest archaeology museum and the most important new museum in the world.

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John Lawson, City of Edinburgh Council's curator of archaeology, said it was a "very exciting" discovery.

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Mr. Blair, an emeritus professor of medieval history and archaeology at the University of Oxford, has been thinking about the undead since his childhood.

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It was redeveloped in 2018 with three new galleries with social history and archaeology collections at the museum.

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Related Words

• excavation 
• paleontology