excavate Hear it!

excavate definition

ex·ca·vate (eks′kə vāt′)

transitive verb excavated -·vat′ed, excavating -·vat′·ing

  1. to make a hole or cavity in, as by digging; hollow out
  2. to form by hollowing out; dig to excavate a tunnel
  3. to uncover or expose by digging; unearth to excavate ancient ruins
  4. to dig out (earth, soil, etc.)

Etymology: < L excavatus, pp. of excavare < ex-, out + cavare, to make hollow < cavus, hollow: see cave

intransitive verb

to make an excavation

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.