verb
excavate
EKS-kuh-vayt/ˈekskəveɪt/
To dig out earth to uncover something or create a space.
Workers excavate the ground to make room for a basement.
Etymology
“Out” and “to hollow” describe removing material to leave a hollow space. Excavating applies this action to digging away earth, including the work of exposing ruins or recovering buried objects.
In context
they decide to excavate a huge tunnel in the mountain first they dig a 159 meter long tunnel
More examples
- Archaeologists carefully excavate the site to uncover ancient pottery.
- The crew excavated a trench for the new water pipe.
- Scientists are excavating the hillside to expose buried fossils.
Forms
excavate · excavates · excavated · excavating
excavation noun — The act of digging out earth.
excavator noun — A person or machine that digs.
Similar words
- dig
- A broader term for breaking up or removing earth.
- unearth
- Emphasizes uncovering something buried rather than creating a space.