archaeology

noun

ar·​chae·​ol·​o·​gy ˌär-kē-ˈä-lə-jē 

variants or archeology

1

: the scientific study of material remains (such as tools, pottery, jewelry, stone walls, and monuments) of past human life and activities

2

: remains of the culture of a people : antiquities

the archaeology of the Incas

archaeological

ˌär-kē-ə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

adjective

archaeologically

ˌär-kē-ə-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

archaeologist

ˌär-kē-ˈä-lə-jist 

noun

Examples of archaeology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Jennifer Ouellette Experimental archaeology is not without its challenges, particularly when one's area of expertise is the Stone Age. —Ars Technica, 2 Jan. 2025

Pertussis Cases by Year (1922-2022) Sam Walters is a journalist covering archaeology, paleontology, ecology, and evolution for Discover, along with an assortment of other topics. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024

This concerns archaeology just like religious studies, philology or anthropology. —Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024

And Margaret Alice Murray—perhaps my favorite—built on her own excavation experience to create and teach most of the University College London archaeology curriculum, training students to go into the field. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French archéologie, from Late Latin archaeologia antiquarian lore, from Greek archaiologia, from archaio- + -logia -logy

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing archaeology

• industrial archaeology

Kids Definition

archaeology

noun

ar·​chae·​ol·​o·​gy

variants or archeology

ˌär-kē-ˈäl-ə-jē 

: the science that deals with past human life as shown by fossil relics and the monuments and tools left by ancient peoples

archaeological

-kē-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl 

adjective

archaeologist

-kē-ˈäl-ə-jəst 

noun