Main Entry: ex·ca·vate

Pronunciation: \ˈek-skə-ˌvāt\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): ex·ca·vat·ed; ex·ca·vat·ing

Etymology: Latin excavatus, past participle of excavare, from ex- + cavare to make hollow — more at cavatina

Date: 1599

transitive verb 1 : to form a cavity or hole in
2 : to form by hollowing out
3 : to dig out and remove
4 : to expose to view by or as if by digging away a covering <excavate the remains of a temple>intransitive verb : to make excavations