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

The documentary serves as a nostalgic time capsule of archival footage from 30 years earlier, capturing a moment in time before the groups’ launch into stardom. —Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026

Their posts — raw, fragmented and sometimes panicked — formed a digital time capsule of how a college campus experienced a mass shooting. —Leah Willingham, Fortune, 7 Jan. 2026

Think of it as a sleek and uncomfortable time capsule of the past half decade of #MeToo discourse, or as a character study of flawed intellectuals desperately attempting to perform their values while clinging to the facade of their respective identities. —Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 30 Dec. 2025

For well over 2,200 years, the final resting place of China’s first Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, has served as a time capsule of a time now long gone. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025

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