'archaeologer' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from 'archaeology' + the agentive suffix '-er', where 'archaeo-' comes from Greek 'arkhaio-' meaning 'ancient' and '-logy' (from Greek 'logia') meant 'study or discourse'.

'archaeologer' appears as an alternative or variant spelling (often written 'archæologer' or formed by analogy with agent-nouns ending in '-er') alongside 'archaeologist'; the element ultimately goes back to Greek 'arkhaiologia' via Latin and then Modern English 'archaeology'.

Initially used to denote 'one who studies or writes about antiquities or ancient things'; over time the form became uncommon and is now a rare or archaic/nonstandard variant of the modern word 'archaeologist'.