time capsule

noun

1

: a container holding historical records or objects representative of current culture that is deposited (as in a cornerstone) for preservation until discovery by some future age

2

: something resembling a time capsule

Sunken vessels are archaeological time capsules.

—Philip Trupp

Examples of time capsule in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Not only is Earth's celestial neighbor a pristine time capsule ripe for study – preserved almost unaltered throughout the course of billions of years – but the moon is viewed as a stepping stone for human exploration deeper into space. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 26 May 2026

It should be put in, in a time capsule -- capsule. —ABC News, 24 May 2026

For a proper sit-down, L'Incontro is the place—an iconic fine-dining time capsule since the late 1970s. —Erica Firpo, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2026

The time capsule is a small ritual, but ritual is how humans mark transitions. —Melanie Subin, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

time capsule

noun

: a container holding historical records or objects representative of current culture that is placed (as in a cornerstone) for preservation until discovery by some future age