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

Etymology

Origin of time capsule

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

time capsule

A time capsule buried in 1876 was opened in 1976.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

Jay Nanninga, a National Institute of Standards and Technology mechanical engineer who designed the time capsule, had to address such storage issues.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

"A time capsule of a relationship in a few years of my life."

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

Magnason’s opening narration over spectacular footage of glaciers — up close and from far away — gently informs us that we’re watching a time capsule, one where the bonds of family and environment are intertwined.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

The ice cream shop was like a time capsule with shiny red booths, waitresses dressed in pink dresses and aprons, and a jukebox in the corner.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller