archaeologist

[ˌɑːrkiˈɑːlədʒɪst] (American pronunciation)

Origin

From Greek "arkhaios" (ancient) + "logos" (study)

Meanings

1. A scientist who studies human history and prehistory through the excavation and analysis of artifacts, structures, and other physical remains.
2. A person who specializes in the field of archaeology.

Example Sentences

1. The archaeologist carefully brushed away dirt to reveal an ancient pottery shard.
2. Dr. Smith, a renowned archaeologist, has spent decades studying Mayan ruins.
3. The young archaeologist was thrilled to participate in her first dig at a Roman settlement.

Related Words

• Noun: archaeology/archeology
• Adjective: archaeological/archeological
• Verb: excavate, unearth, dig

Synonyms

• Antiquarian
• Paleontologist (focuses on fossils)
• Excavator

Memorization Trick

Think of an "archaeologist" as an "ancient-ologist" – someone who studies ancient things by digging them up (arch = ancient, ology = study of).