'archaeologist' originates from Greek and Latin, specifically the Latinized Greek word 'archaeologia' (from Greek 'arkhaiologia'), where 'arkhaios' meant 'ancient' and 'logos' meant 'study' or 'reason'.

'archaeologist' developed from the noun 'archaeology' (from Latin 'archaeologia' and Greek 'arkhaiologia') and was formed in English in the 19th century by adding the agent suffix '-ist' to refer to a person practising or studying archaeology.

Initially it was connected to the 'study of ancient things' ('archaeology'), but over time the derived term 'archaeologist' came to mean specifically 'a person who studies past human life and cultures through material remains'.