excavation

American  

[eks-kuh-vey-shuhn] / ˌɛks kəˈveɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a hole or cavity made by excavating.

2. the act of excavating.

3. an area in which excavating has been done or is in progress, as an archaeological site.

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Related Words

See hole.

Other Word Forms

• excavational adjective
• nonexcavation noun
• reexcavation noun

Etymology

Origin of excavation

First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin excavātiōn- (stem of excavātiō ) “a hollowing.” See excavate, -ion

Explanation

Excavation is the act or process of digging, especially when something specific is being removed from the ground. Archaeologists use excavation to find artifacts and fossils. There are many types of excavation, but they all involve digging holes in the earth. Mining for coal, gold, or diamonds all require excavation, and before buildings and houses can be built, there is often some excavation that's done before a foundation can be poured. The Latin source of excavation is excavationem, "a hollowing out," from excavare, "to hollow out," with its roots of ex-, "out," and cavare, "to hollow."

Example Sentences

Because the true scale of the debris remained hidden underground, the price was nearly impossible to forecast until excavation revealed what was underneath, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

The archaeologist who took part in the excavation is more cautious.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

According to Jean-Paul Raynal, who co-directed the program during the key excavation period, repeated changes in sea level, wind-driven sedimentation, and rapid cementation of coastal sands created ideal conditions for preserving fossils and archaeological evidence.

From Science Daily • Feb. 7, 2026

Now comes a second neo-noir that has us primed for an epic excavation beneath the foundations on which the industry stands.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

He told Nathan of how years and years ago, before the excavation of the nearby mining cave, this land was green, and grass would grow as tall as Nathan’s knee.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

Related Words

• dig
• mining
• removal