# excavation

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌɛkskəˈveɪʃn/ · frequency rank #15,813

## Definitions
1. The act of excavating, or of making hollow, by cutting, scooping, or digging out a part of a solid mass.
2. The act of excavating, or of making hollow, by cutting, scooping, or digging out a part of a solid mass.
3. A cavity formed by cutting, digging, or scooping.
4. An uncovered cutting in the earth, in distinction from a covered cutting or tunnel.
5. The material dug out in making a channel or cavity.
6. Archaeological research that unearths buildings, tombs and objects of historical value.
7. A site where an archaeological exploration is being carried out.
8. Something uncovered by archaeological excavation.
9. The act of discovering and exposing or developing (a quality).

## Etymology
From Latin excavātiō (“a hollowing out”), from excavō (“I hollow out”), from ex + cavō (“I hollow out”), from cavus (“hollow”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱewh₁- (“vault, hole”).

## Easily confused with
- **excavator** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/excavation-vs-excavator)
- **excitation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/excavation-vs-excitation)
- **exclamation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/excavation-vs-exclamation)
- **escalation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/escalation-vs-excavation)

## Common misspellings (15)
`ecxavation`, `exacvation`, `excaavtion`, `excavaiton`, `excavasion`, `excavatino`, `excavationn`, `excavatoin`, `excavattion`, `excavtaion`, `excavvation`, `exccavation`, `excvaation`, `exxcavation`, `xecavation`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/excavation