/ ˈekskəveɪt; NAmE / verb [ vn ]
1.
to dig in the ground to look for old buildings or objects that have been buried for a long time; to find sth by digging in this way :
The site has been excavated by archaeologists.
pottery and weapons excavated from the burial site
2.
( formal ) to make a hole, etc. in the ground by digging :
The body was discovered when builders excavated the area.
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: from Latin excavat- hollowed out, from the verb excavare , from ex- out + cavare make or become hollow (from cavus hollow).