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

This 277-mile labyrinth of red crag in northern Arizona is like an ancient time capsule, with rocks on the canyon floor dating back some 2 billion years—well before the dinosaurs. —Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026

Hanalei Bay is a time capsule of old Hawaii, where the days feel slower and the scenery more lush. —Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 17 May 2026

The result is a kind of time capsule. —Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 15 May 2026

So the moon can serve as a sort of time capsule. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 11 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