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

Here are three of our most recent eye-catching archaeology stories. —Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025

Before joining the Discover team as an assistant editor in 2022, Sam studied journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. human origins archaeology 1 free article left Want More? —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025

The robots are doing the archaeology on where humans went wrong, or maybe just trying to understand how the humans are different. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 Feb. 2025

Related article Turbulent skies of Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’ align with a scientific theory, study finds Archaeological remains from this period are hard to come by, said study coauthor Oliver Creighton, a professor of archaeology at England’s University of Exeter. —Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 4 Feb. 2025

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