excavate
English
Etymology 1
Known since 1599, from Latin excavātus (“hollowed out”), perfect passive participle of excavō (“hollow out”), from ex (“out”) + cavō (“make a hole”), from cavus (“cave, hole”).
Verb
excavate (third-person singular simple present excavat, present participle ing, simple past and past participle excavated)
- (transitive) To make a hole in (something); to hollow.
- (transitive) To remove part of (something) by scooping or digging it out.
- (transitive) To uncover (something) by digging.
Related terms
Translations
to make a hole in (something); to hollow
|
to remove part of (something) by scooping or digging it out
to uncover (something) by digging
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
Etymology 2
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Noun
excavate (plural excavates)
- (zoology) Any member of a major grouping of unicellular eukaryotes, of the clade Excavata.
References
- Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “excavate”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Latin
Verb
(deprecated template usage) excavāte