excavate

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ˈɛk.skə.veɪt/

• Audio (UK)

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Verb

Plain form excavate

Third-person singular excavates

Past tense excavated

Past participle excavated

Present participle excavating

1. (transitive) If you excavate something, you make a hole (in it) by digging.

   The dirt nearby was excavated for future construction.

   The ground here was excavated by machine.

2. (transitive) If you excavate something, you find it by digging.

   The artifacts near the dig site were excavated carefully.

Related words

• excavation
• excavator