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.
In a last ditch effort, the determined rescuers brought in an excavator and devised a plan that would save the animal’s life. Ronnie Li, USA Today, 30 July 2025 Some will examine debris piles as they're dismantled by excavators and skid steers. Greg Allen, NPR, 9 July 2025 Andrew Harnik | Getty Images News | Getty Images An excavator works on the ground floor of the 1951 Constitution Avenue Building as a massive renovation continues on the building and the Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve Board Building on July 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. Adam Jeffery,christina Wilkie, CNBC, 24 July 2025 In an Entertainment Tonight interview in 2020, the couple revealed that Francie's husband Bob, who had worked as an excavator, had died due to cancer in December 2018 — six months before Chapman's wife, Beth, died. Sydni Ellis, People.com, 22 July 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 20 Aug. 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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