stope

noun

: a usually steplike excavation underground for the removal of ore that is formed as the ore is mined in successive layers

Examples of stope in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The men were last believed to be on a stope – a tunnel used in mining to ferry materials to the surface – that had previously been filled in with rocks when the void opened, Perenti said earlier. Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 16 Feb. 2023 That’s often the most unstable part of the stope, and generally higher on the mountain. National Geographic, 19 July 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stope.' 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

probably from Low German stope, literally, step; akin to Old English stæpe step — more at step

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stope was in 1747

Dictionary Entries Near stope

Cite this Entry

“Stope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stope. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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