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archaeology

n.
US //ˌɑɹkiˈɑɫədʒi// UK //ˌɑːkiːˈɒlədʒi// ar·chae·ol·o·gy
  1. 1 the study of the past (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Science

    the study of the past by digging up and examining objects, buildings, and other remains.

    the systematic study of past human life and activities by the recovery and analysis of material culture.

    Example

    She decided to study archaeology because she loved finding old coins and pottery in the garden.

    Example

    Modern archaeology relies heavily on non-invasive techniques like ground-penetrating radar before any physical excavation begins on a sensitive historical site.

    Usage

    Often used as an uncountable noun for the field of study, but can be countable when referring to a specific project or set of findings.
Origin

From Ancient Greek ἀρχαιολογία (arkhaiología, “antiquarian lore, ancient legends, history”), from ἀρχαῖος (arkhaîos, “primal, old, ancient”) + λόγος (lógos, “speech, oration, study”). By surface analysis, archaeo- + -logy.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Last updated June 20, 2026