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.
Ryan Starnes, 23, died on June 30 after he was hit by an excavator bucket at a construction site, according to officials. Toria Sheffield, People.com, 13 July 2025 This spring, excavators uncovered a centuries-old shipwreck in an unlikely place in Spain: a former fish market. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2025 Punching serves as the game’s primary verb, allowing DK to just knock out foes, but explore the densely packed terrain by tearing through the earth itself like a primate excavator. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2025 On the site recently, a dozen construction workers finished driving nails into the wooden frames of the first building on the north end of the project while excavators moved dirt and cement mixers stood ready to prepare the foundations for some of the other four buildings. John Tuohy, IndyStar, 2 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 18 Jul. 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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