excavate Definition
- 1to remove earth that is covering very old objects buried in the ground in order to discover things about the past
- 2to dig a hole or channel in the ground, especially with a machine
- 3to make a hole or channel in something by removing material
Using excavate: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "excavate" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The archaeologists are excavating an ancient temple.
Example
The construction workers excavated a large hole for the foundation.
Example
The miners excavated the coal from the mine.
Example
The dentist had to excavate the decayed tooth.
excavate Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with excavate
Example
The team of archaeologists will excavate the site for several months.
Example
The workers had to excavate a tunnel through the mountain.
Example
The dentist had to excavate a cavity before filling the tooth.
Origins of excavate
from Latin 'excavatus', past participle of 'excavare', meaning 'to hollow out'
Summary: excavate in Brief
The verb 'excavate' [ˈɛkskəveɪt] means to remove earth to uncover buried objects or to dig a hole or channel in the ground. It can also mean to make a hole or channel in something by removing material. Examples include 'The archaeologists are excavating an ancient temple' and 'The construction workers excavated a large hole for the foundation.'