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Excavate: meaning, definitions and examples

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excavate

 

[ ˈɛkskəˌveɪt ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

archaeology

To remove earth carefully and systematically in order to uncover buried remains such as buildings or artifacts.

Synonyms

dig, uncover, unearth

Examples of usage

  • They excavated the site and discovered ancient pottery.
  • The archaeologists are excavating a Roman villa.
Context #2 | Verb

construction

To make a hole or channel by digging.

Synonyms

dig, dig out, hollow out

Examples of usage

  • The workers excavated a trench for the new pipeline.
  • They are excavating the foundation for the building.
Context #3 | Verb

geology

To remove soil or rock from an area in order to expose the underlying minerals or structure.

Synonyms

dig, mine, quarry

Examples of usage

  • The miners are excavating for gold in the mountains.
  • The excavation revealed a layer of ancient volcanic ash.

Translations

Translations of the word "excavate" in other languages:

🇵🇹 escavar

🇮🇳 खोदना

🇩🇪 ausgraben

🇮🇩 menggali

🇺🇦 копати

🇵🇱 wykopać

🇯🇵 掘る (ほる)

🇫🇷 excaver

🇪🇸 excavar

🇹🇷 kazmak

🇰🇷 파다

🇸🇦 حفر

🇨🇿 vykopat

🇸🇰 vykopať

🇨🇳 挖掘 (wājué)

🇸🇮 izkopati

🇮🇸 grafa

🇰🇿 қазу

🇬🇪 ამოყვანა

🇦🇿 qazmaq

🇲🇽 excavar

Etymology

The word 'excavate' comes from the Latin word 'excavatus', which is the past participle of 'excavare', meaning 'to hollow out'. The term has been used since the 16th century in English, originally in the sense of digging a hole or channel. Over time, it has expanded to include the systematic removal of earth in archaeological and geological contexts.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #22,358, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.