excavate

verb

ex·​ca·​vate ˈek-skə-ˌvāt How to pronounce excavate (audio)
excavated; excavating

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

Examples of excavate in a Sentence

They excavated an ancient city. It is the first site to be excavated in this area. They began excavating the backyard for their new pool. The excess dirt was carefully excavated.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the 1920s, archaeologists excavating the necropolis of Deir el-Bahri near Luxor, Egypt, found many broken statues of the ancient Egyptian queen Hatshepsut—one of the civilization’s few female pharaohs. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2025 One of its recent big ‘splashes’ was the stunning recreation of a Roman villa within the estate, built after extensive Roman ruins were excavated. Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 This 2023 photo provided by Colonial Williamsburg Foundation shows staff members from the Colonial Williamsburg museum excavating the remains of Confederate soldiers from the Civil War in Williamsburg, Va. CBS News, 4 June 2025 Female beetles bore into the trunks and branches of young trees and excavate galleries in the heartwood. Janet B. Carson, Arkansas Online, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for excavate

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin excavātus, past participle of excavāre "to hollow out, form a hole in," from ex- ex- entry 1 + cavāre "to make hollow, hollow out," verbal derivative of cavus "hollow, concave" — more at hole entry 1

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of excavate was in 1599

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Excavate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excavate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

excavate

verb
ex·​ca·​vate ˈek-skə-ˌvāt How to pronounce excavate (audio)
excavated; excavating
1
: to hollow out : form a hole in
excavate the side of a hill
2
: to make by hollowing out
excavate a tunnel
3
: to dig out and remove
excavate sand
4
: to uncover by digging away covering earth
excavate an ancient city
excavator
-ˌvāt-ər
noun

Medical Definition

excavate

verb
ex·​ca·​vate ˈek-skə-ˌvāt How to pronounce excavate (audio)
excavated; excavating

transitive verb

: to form a cavity or hole in
an excavated wisdom tooth

intransitive verb

: to make excavations or become hollowed out
an area of infarction in soft tissue often tends to excavate

More from Merriam-Webster on excavate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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