verb
excavate
EHK-skuh-vayt
Excavate (verb) means to dig a hole in something, making it hollow. Example: “Workers excavated the site to lay the new foundations.”
verb
1
To dig a hole in something, making it hollow.
"Workers excavated the site to lay the new foundations."
2
To uncover something buried by digging it out.
"Archaeologists excavated an ancient burial chamber beneath the hill."
How to use excavate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo dig out or uncover something by digging.
Common pairings
excavate a site
excavate the ruins
excavate a trench
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Word forms
- Plural
- excavates
- Third person singular
- excavates
- Past tense
- excavated
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Workers _____ the site to lay the new foundations.
Etymology
From Latin excavare, "to hollow out," from ex- ("out") + cavare ("to make hollow"), from cavus ("hollow").
Related words
Rhymes for excavate
See all rhymes for excavate →Frequently asked questions
What does “excavate” mean?
The word “excavate” means to dig a hole in something, making it hollow. In plain terms, to dig out or uncover something by digging.
How do you pronounce “excavate”?
“Excavate” is pronounced EHK-skuh-vayt (/ˈɛk.skə.veɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “excavate” in a sentence?
Here is “excavate” used in a sentence: “Workers excavated the site to lay the new foundations.”
What part of speech is “excavate”?
“Excavate” is a verb.
Where does the word “excavate” come from?
The word “excavate” comes from Latin. From Latin excavare, "to hollow out," from ex- ("out") + cavare ("to make hollow"), from cavus ("hollow").
How many meanings does “excavate” have?
“Excavate” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to dig a hole in something, making it hollow.
