excavator

noun

ex·​ca·​va·​tor ˈek-skə-ˌvā-tər How to pronounce excavator (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 More than 100 trucks and excavators and other equipment are working on the highway and more than 1,200 truckloads of debris are being carried away per day, Newsom’s office said. Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025 While operating an excavator, a soldier noticed a small jug in the dirt and showed it to a fellow soldier with a passion for history, according to a March 16 Facebook post from the 123rd Territorial Defense Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2025 This set includes a front loader, dump truck, bulldozer, excavator, and backhoe, and yes, there is a difference. Katrina Cossey, Parents, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for excavator

Word History

Etymology

excavate + -or entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1815, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of excavator was circa 1815

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Cite this Entry

“Excavator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excavator. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Medical Definition

excavator

noun
ex·​ca·​va·​tor ˈek-skə-ˌvāt-ər How to pronounce excavator (audio)
: an instrument used to open bodily cavities (as in the teeth) or remove material from them
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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