excavation

noun

ex·​ca·​va·​tion ˌek-skə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce excavation (audio)
Synonyms of excavationnext
1
: the action or process of excavating
2
: a cavity formed by cutting, digging, or scooping
excavational adjective

Examples of excavation in a Sentence

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.
The star of the excavation was a Roman-era marble bathtub, along with a fragment of a male statue's torso that was later reused as a paving stone. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 2 Jan. 2026 Crow, who spent most of the Eighties directing excavations along the section of the wall where the tree stood, told me that no one had seemed to care about the tree until the film came along. Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025 Healing doesn’t have to be endless excavation. Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Dec. 2025 An excavation crew working near Preston Road and White Road in Plano — about 11 miles from the donut shop — discovered Jennifer’s naked and bloodied body. Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for excavation

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin excavātiōn-, excavātiō, from excavāre "to hollow out, excavate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of excavation was circa 1611

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Excavation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excavation. Accessed 5 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

excavation

noun
ex·​ca·​va·​tion ˌek-skə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce excavation (audio)
1
: the act or process of excavating
2
: a hollowed-out place formed by excavating

Medical Definition

excavation

noun
ex·​ca·​va·​tion ˌek-skə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce excavation (audio)
1
: the action or process of excavating
2
: a cavity formed by or as if by cutting, digging, or scooping
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!