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

Demolishing Block by Block Here is what the operation looks like on the ground: Four excavators could be seen in a video verified by The Times tearing down a row of buildings in Rafah’s Shaboura neighborhood in April. —Samuel Granados, New York Times, 15 May 2025

Amherst Public Works later brought an excavator to the scene to clear the debris and fully extinguish the fire. —Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025

Video posted by the Caltrans agency shows stretches of the road covered in thick, dark mud, towering above the excavators removing blockages. —Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2025

To protect civilian life and the infrastructure, construction crews used bulldozers and excavators to build earthen barriers and rock dams. —Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 9 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

excavate + -or entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1815, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for excavator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator

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