time capsule

American  

noun

1. a receptacle containing documents or objects typical of the current period, placed in the earth or in a cornerstone for discovery in the future.

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time capsule British  

noun

1. a container holding articles, documents, etc, representative of the current age, buried in the earth or in the foundations of a new building for discovery in the future

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Etymology

Origin of time capsule

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

It’s a time capsule of the music that I’ve been inspired by, from yacht music to alternative rock to funk.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Language in Vietnam continued to evolve, while the Vietnamese my mother speaks is a time capsule from the mid-1970s.

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2025

Listening to her speaking on this precious recording is its own time capsule.

From BBC • Oct. 20, 2025

Today, it lies on its side on cracked pavement, like an abandoned time capsule or a crashed U.F.O.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 7, 2025

Along with the cornerstone, the workmen buried a time capsule in the steps of the foundation.

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman