From Middle English unherthen, equivalent to un- +‎ earth.^[1][2]

• IPA^(key): /ʌnˈɜː(ɹ)θ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)θ

unearth (third-person singular simple present unearths, present participle unearthing, simple past and past participle unearthed)

1. To drive or draw from the earth.

   to unearth a fox or a badger

2. (by extension) To dig up.
   • 1971, R. C. Majumdar, “Medicine”, in A Concise History of Science in India‎^[1], New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy, published 1989, →OCLC, page 261:

     Modern archaeological excavations have unearthed the remains of a large number of ancient cities that lay buried deep under the sands for more than a thousand years, along the trade route from Bactria to China passing between the Tien Shan mountains in the north and the desert of Taklamakan in the south.

   • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Protheans: Data Discs Codex entry:

     Despite all the evidence confirming the existence of the Protheans, little is known about their culture and society. From time to time, dig sites will yield new clues, but after 50,000 years of decay, little of value is unearthed.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:unearth.
3. To uncover or find; to bring out from concealment.

   Synonyms: bring to light, disclose, unfold

   Near-synonym: discover

   to unearth a secret

   • 1914, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados:

     He very soon discovered a Wynn Carrados living at Richmond, and, better still, further search failed to unearth another. There was, apparently, only one householder at all events of that name in the neighbourhood of London.

• “unearth”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

• haunter, nauther, unheart, urethan