archival
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of archival
Explanation
Anything archival relates to an archive, which is a record or collection of historical materials. Archival resources document the past. Most libraries have a special place for archival documents, like old newspapers and photos. An archive is a collection of older things such as books, music, or documents. Many librarians and curators collect and care for archives. Anything archival relates to an archive. An archival record documents everything in an archive, such as an archive of 19th century poetry. An archival search is a search of an archive, such as an archive of birth certificates. This word has to do with historical collections. Scholars who study the past often have to do archival research.
Vocabulary lists containing archival
Play by the Rules: Arch
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Salt to the Sea
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myPerspectives 9.6
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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.
The exhibition gathers an abundance of archival materials, sketchbooks, architectural drawings, prototypes, models and maquettes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
The museum, owned by Plymouth City Council, has more than two million artworks, objects and archival materials in its collection.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
It’s charming to observe within these different archival efforts just how very much Paul McCartney wanted his post-Beatles musical projects to be a band.
From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026
The acclaimed Chicago artist assembled archival images of Black women into a two-part frieze depicting them in positions of beauty and power.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
My recitations seemed to bother my fellow sailors, but could I really blame them for being jealous of my archival facilities?
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
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.
