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 soundtrack, curated by Karyn Rachtman, helped solidify the film as a time capsule of clothing, music, dialogue and teenage life. —Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026

City Librarian John Szabo said the library will complete its own 2026 time capsule at the end of this year's centennial celebration. —Julie Sharp, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026

Since then, the time capsule, which was placed behind a wall for safe keeping, survived multiple renovations. —Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026

Trophies are forever, but so are red-carpet photos, and looking back on what artists like Swift chose to wear over the years is something of a sartorial time capsule. —Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 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