verb

excavate

EHK-skuh-vayt

verb

To dig a hole in something, making it hollow.

"Workers excavated the site to lay the new foundations."

To uncover something buried by digging it out.

"Archaeologists excavated an ancient burial chamber beneath the hill."

How to Use Excavate

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo dig out or uncover something by digging.

Common pairings

excavate a site excavate the ruins excavate a trench

excavated past tense, excavates plural, excavates singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Can you complete this real example?

Workers _____ the site to lay the new foundations.

From Latin excavare, "to hollow out," from ex- ("out") + cavare ("to make hollow"), from cavus ("hollow").

ate date rate mate fate gate hate pate late Nate Kate cate