archaeology
or ar·che·ol·o·gy
[ ahr-kee-ol-uh-jee ]
/ ˌɑr kiˈɒl ə dʒi /
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noun
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.
Rare. ancient history; the study of antiquity.
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Origin of archaeology
OTHER WORDS FROM archaeology
ar·chae·ol·o·gist, nounWords nearby archaeology
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for archaeology
British Dictionary definitions for archaeology
archaeology
archeology
/ (ˌɑːkɪˈɒlədʒɪ) /
noun
the study of man's past by scientific analysis of the material remains of his culturesSee also prehistory, protohistory
Derived forms of archaeology
archaeological or archeological (ˌɑːkɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl), adjectivearchaeologically or archeologically, adverbarchaeologist or archeologist, nounWord Origin for archaeology
C17: from Late Latin archaeologia, from Greek arkhaiologia study of what is ancient, from arkhaios ancient (from arkhē beginning)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for archaeology
archaeology
archeology (är′kē-ŏl′ə-jē)
The scientific study of past human life and culture by the examination of physical remains, such as graves, tools, and pottery.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for archaeology
archaeology
[ (ahr-kee-ol-uh-jee) ]
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.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.