archaeology
or ar·che·ol·o·gy
[ ahr-kee-ol-uh-jee ]
/ ˌɑr kiˈɒl ə dʒi /
noun
the scientific study of historic or prehistoric peoples and their cultures by analysis of their artifacts, inscriptions, monuments, and other such remains, especially those that have been excavated.
Rare.
ancient history; the study of antiquity.
Origin of archaeology
OTHER WORDS FROM archaeology
ar·chae·ol·o·gist, nounWords nearby archaeology
Example sentences from the Web for archaeology
British Dictionary definitions for archaeology
archaeology
archeology
/ (ˌɑːkɪˈɒlədʒɪ) /
noun
the study of man's past by scientific analysis of the material remains of his cultures
See also prehistory, protohistory
Derived forms of archaeology
archaeological or archeological (ˌɑːkɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl), adjective archaeologically or archeologically, adverb archaeologist or archeologist, nounWord Origin for archaeology
C17: from Late Latin
archaeologia, from Greek
arkhaiologia study of what is ancient, from
arkhaios ancient (from
arkhē beginning)
Scientific definitions for archaeology
archaeology
archeology
(är′kē-ŏl′ə-jē)
The scientific study of past human life and culture by the examination of physical remains, such as graves, tools, and pottery.
Cultural definitions for archaeology
archaeology
[ (ahr-kee-ol-uh-jee) ]
The recovery and study of material objects, such as graves, buildings, tools, artworks, and human remains, to investigate the structure and behavior of past cultures. Archaeologists rely on physical remains as clues to the emergence and development of human societies and civilizations. Anthropologists, by contrast, to interact with living people to study their cultures.