time capsule

American  

noun

• time capsules
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• time capsules
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of time capsule

First recorded in 1935–40

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

time capsule

Overnight on Jan. 20, someone stripped off the plaques for the Army, Navy and Coast Guard, along with a marker for the park dedication and a time capsule.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

When travelers enter Dulles International Airport, they pass through a time capsule from the Space Age.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

The school was so central to the community that in 2017 the city of South Euclid buried a time capsule on Notre Dame’s lawn, containing predictions from area children about their futures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

A time capsule buried in 1876 was opened in 1976.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

“It was like a time capsule within a time capsule,” says archaeologist Christopher Dobbs.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

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