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. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 15 July 2024

Per the report, the bill introduced by Israeli politician Amit Halevi seeks to redistribute power over the West Bank archaeology’s sector, which currently resides with a unit in the Civil Administration, an Israeli governing body managed by the military. —Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2024

Studying shipwrecks has advanced in the last century to include a variety of disciplines, including archaeology, ecology, engineering, and oceanography. —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 8 July 2024

The Tennessean had landed in Afghanistan close to a decade earlier to complete her PhD dissertation research in archaeology. —Alexandra Rockey Fleming, Peoplemag, 8 July 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