excavator
noun
ex·ca·va·tor
ˈek-skə-ˌvā-tər 
: one that excavates
especially
: a power-operated shovel
Examples of excavator in a Sentence
The excavators found ancient tools at the site.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dump trucks rumble throughout the small city, including in front of the 160-year-old City Hall, where jackhammers and excavators claw at the pavement, following plans to green the adjacent plaza with trees and benches.
—
Catherine Porter, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
An excavator operator accidentally collapsed the cub’s den while widening farming fields in Wilna, Jefferson County, on March 17, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said on social media Monday, April 1.
—Brooke Baitinger, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
Crews have been working with excavators, digging into the piles and sending sediment tumbling into streams.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2024
Blippi and Elmo are ready to ride the excavator ride!
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 1 Feb. 2024
Since then, nearly 100 bulldozers, excavators, and haul trucks have been working nonstop around the plant, according to Kristinn Hardarson, who heads operations at energy company HS Orka, the owner of Svartsengi.
—Louise Rasmussen and Johannes Birkebaek, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan. 2024
During the recent ecological restoration of a Scottish island’s spongy peatland, an excavator’s bucket hit something unexpectedly solid: an old propeller blade, once attached to a military plane that crashed during World War II.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
Not long after dawn on Feb. 16, a worker behind the wheel of a claw excavator attacked piles of what turned out to be at least 100 poles, which would be carted away by a waiting semi.
—Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024
Dramatic photos show how excavators dug a new hole nearby and opened a trench between the holes so the horse could climb out on its own.
—Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 2 Feb. 2024
Catherine Porter, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024
An excavator operator accidentally collapsed the cub’s den while widening farming fields in Wilna, Jefferson County, on March 17, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said on social media Monday, April 1.
—Brooke Baitinger, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
Crews have been working with excavators, digging into the piles and sending sediment tumbling into streams.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2024
Blippi and Elmo are ready to ride the excavator ride!
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 1 Feb. 2024
Since then, nearly 100 bulldozers, excavators, and haul trucks have been working nonstop around the plant, according to Kristinn Hardarson, who heads operations at energy company HS Orka, the owner of Svartsengi.
—Louise Rasmussen and Johannes Birkebaek, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan. 2024
During the recent ecological restoration of a Scottish island’s spongy peatland, an excavator’s bucket hit something unexpectedly solid: an old propeller blade, once attached to a military plane that crashed during World War II.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024
Not long after dawn on Feb. 16, a worker behind the wheel of a claw excavator attacked piles of what turned out to be at least 100 poles, which would be carted away by a waiting semi.
—Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024
Dramatic photos show how excavators dug a new hole nearby and opened a trench between the holes so the horse could climb out on its own.
—Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 2 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'excavator.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
First Known Use
circa 1815, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near excavator
Cite this Entry
“Excavator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excavator. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Medical Definition
excavator
noun
ex·ca·va·tor
ˈek-skə-ˌvāt-ər
: an instrument used to open bodily cavities (as in the teeth) or remove material from them
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