shovel test

noun

An excavation unit of small extent and shallow depth, made quickly with a shovel or trowel to determine whether archeologically significant material is present below the ground surface.

“A single shovel test was all we needed to show the site's importance.”

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Meanings

nounshovel test (plural shovel tests)

plural shovel tests

  1. archaeologyAn excavation unit of small extent and shallow depth, made quickly with a shovel or trowel to determine whether archeologically significant material is present below the ground surface.

    A single shovel test was all we needed to show the site's importance.

verbshovel test (third-person singular simple present shovel tests, present participle shovel testing, simple past and past participle shovel tested)

present singular third person shovel tests · participle present shovel testing · participle past shovel tested · past shovel tested

  1. archaeologyTo examine a site or area using one or more small excavation units.

    They were contracted to shovel test only within the proposed pipeline's right of way.

Cite this entry
APA

shovel test. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shovel%20test

MLA

“shovel test.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shovel%20test. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shovel test,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shovel%20test.

Source: shovel test on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.