archaeology

noun

ar·​chae·​ol·​o·​gy ˌär-kē-ˈä-lə-jē How to pronounce archaeology (audio)
variants or archeology
1
: the scientific study of material remains (such as tools, pottery, jewelry, stone walls, and monuments) of past human life and activities
2
: remains of the culture of a people : antiquities
the archaeology of the Incas
archaeological adjective
archaeologically adverb
archaeologist noun

Examples of archaeology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Her recent projects emphasize the collaborative nature of archaeology and show the value of including community members and other specialists outside the academy in research and curation teams. JSTOR Daily, 28 Oct. 2025 The draw is a sparsely populated, protected landscape that caters to visitors interested in archaeology, art, nature, and wellness, as well as festivals and concerts featuring global stars like Alicia Keys and Andrea Bocelli. Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025 Here are three of our most recent eye-catching archaeology stories. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025 Her art anticipates a future archaeology of ruins. Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for archaeology

Word History

Etymology

French archéologie, from Late Latin archaeologia antiquarian lore, from Greek archaiologia, from archaio- + -logia -logy

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of archaeology was in 1782

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Cite this Entry

“Archaeology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/archaeology. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

archaeology

noun
ar·​chae·​ol·​o·​gy
variants or archeology
: the science that deals with past human life as shown by fossil relics and the monuments and tools left by ancient peoples
archaeological adjective
archaeologist noun

More from Merriam-Webster on archaeology

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