Excavation: meaning, definitions and examples

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excavation

[ˌɛkskəˈveɪʃən ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

archaeological site

The action or process of excavating, or of making hollow by cutting or digging; a cavity made by cutting or digging; a trench; a hole made by digging; as, an excavation for a cellar, for a canal, or for a railroad.

Synonyms

dig, digging, excavating.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
excavation	Generally used when referring to professional or large-scale digging projects, often archaeological or construction-related. The excavation of the ancient city revealed many historical artifacts. The construction team began the excavation for the new building's foundation.
digging	Refers to the continuous action of digging and can be used for any kind of manual labor involving digging. He spent the whole afternoon digging in the garden. The workers are digging a trench for the new pipeline.
dig	Commonly used in everyday language for any act of digging, from gardening to small-scale digging tasks. It can also be a noun referring to an archaeological site or a gentle joke or insult. She decided to dig a hole to plant the new tree. They went on a dig and found some old pottery pieces.
excavating	Used similarly to 'excavation', but emphasizes the action rather than the project as a whole. Often used in technical or formal contexts. The team is currently excavating the eastern part of the site. Excavating the area requires careful planning and precision.

Examples of usage

Archaeologists made an exciting discovery during the excavation of the ancient city.
The excavation revealed ancient artifacts dating back to the Roman Empire.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

construction site

The act of excavating, or of making hollow by cutting or digging out a part of a solid mass.

Synonyms

dig, digging, excavating.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
excavation	Used when referring to an organized project or process to uncover something, often used in archaeology, construction, or paleontology. The excavation revealed ancient pottery and tools. The company conducted an extensive excavation before building the new skyscraper.
digging	The process or action of making a hole by using tools or hands, informal and used in everyday situations. She spent the afternoon digging in the garden. Digging the trench took several hours.
dig	Can be a noun or a verb. As a verb, it means using tools or hands to move earth, sand, or other material. As a noun, it might refer to an informal or small-scale excavation, sometimes used in archaeology or even in everyday settings. He wants to dig a hole for the new tree. The archeology students went on a dig and discovered some artifacts.
excavating	Similar to 'excavation', this is the action of removing earth carefully and systematically, often in an archaeological, engineering, or historical context. They are excavating the site to look for more dinosaur fossils. Excavating old ruins requires a lot of precision and patience.

Examples of usage

The construction crew began the excavation for the new building's foundation.
The excavation for the underground parking garage was completed ahead of schedule.

^{Context #3 | Noun}

medical context

The act or process of removing or separating solids from liquids or gases by causing the former to percolate through a porous substance; the act of sifting, as of air, snow, or sand.

Synonyms

filtering, separating, sifting.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
excavation	This word is used when referring to the process of digging up and removing earth, rocks, or other materials, usually at a construction site or archaeological dig. The construction team started the excavation for the new building's foundation. Archaeologists made a significant discovery during the excavation of the ancient city.
filtering	This term is commonly used when talking about passing a substance through a device or material to remove impurities or unwanted elements, frequently used in contexts like water purification or data processing. Filtering the water before drinking it ensures that it's free from harmful bacteria. The software has a built-in feature for filtering spam emails.
sifting	This term is used specifically for the process of shaking or passing a substance through a sieve to separate desired elements, often found in cooking or mining. Sifting the flour before adding it to the mix helps to remove any lumps. The miners spent the day sifting through the gravel to find traces of gold.
separating	This word is appropriate when discussing the action of dividing or moving things apart, often used in physical separation of materials or emotional contexts. Separating the wheat from the chaff is an essential step in grain processing. The teacher is separating the students into groups for the project.

Examples of usage

The excavation of the lungs is a crucial part of the diagnostic process for certain respiratory diseases.
The excavation of the soil sample revealed traces of contamination.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

The word comes from the Latin 'excavare', meaning 'to hollow out'.
It reflects the action of digging down to discover what lies beneath the surface.
The prefix 'ex-' means 'out', while 'cavare' means 'to hollow', showcasing the process of removing material.

Science

Archaeologists often use excavations to study past human behavior by uncovering artifacts and structures.
Excavation techniques can include careful layering to protect delicate items from being damaged.
Soil analysis during excavation can reveal important information about historical climates and ecosystems.

Cultural Significance

Excavations in Egypt have uncovered ancient pyramids and tombs, significantly contributing to our understanding of pharaohs.
In Pompeii, excavations have revealed well-preserved remnants of daily life from the Roman Empire.
Cultural artifacts found during excavations can provide insights into the customs, arts, and technologies of historical societies.

Historical Insights

The first systematic archaeological excavation is often credited to Sir Charles Marston at the Roman site of excavations in the early 20th century.
Excavation methods have evolved from crude digging to sophisticated strategies utilizing technology like ground-penetrating radar.
Notable archaeological excavations, such as those at Stonehenge, have helped rewrite history regarding human civilization's origins.

Legal Aspects

Excavation sites are often protected by laws to prevent looting and ensure cultural heritage preservation.
Permits are usually required for excavations to ensure that they are conducted ethically and scientifically.
Some regions have specific regulations regarding the excavation of fossils and other natural resources to protect endangered sites.

Translations

Translations of the word "excavation" in other languages:

🇵🇹 escavação

🇮🇳 खुदाई

🇩🇪 Ausgrabung

🇮🇩 penggalian

🇺🇦 розкопки

🇵🇱 wykopaliska

🇯🇵 発掘 (hakkutsu)

🇫🇷 excavation

🇪🇸 excavación

🇹🇷 kazı

🇰🇷 발굴 (balgul)

🇸🇦 تنقيب

🇨🇿 vykopávky

🇸🇰 výkop

🇨🇳 挖掘 (wājué)

🇸🇮 izkopavanje

🇮🇸 uppgröftur

🇰🇿 қазба

🇬🇪 გათხრა

🇦🇿 qazıntı

🇲🇽 excavación

Word Frequency Rank

At #7,300 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.

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7297 exposition
7298 locomotive
7299 greatness
7300 excavation
7301 pathology
7302 symptom
7303 coronary
...