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.
However, impactors are also excavators, carving into the crust of the parent body. Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 10 Oct. 2025 During the project, excavators removed about eight billion pounds of rock for DigIndy’s tunnels, which total about 28 miles in length and were dug 250 feet underground. Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 9 Oct. 2025 The country's National Disaster Mitigation Agency told AP that rescue teams were using heavy excavators equipped with jackhammers and circular saws, as well as their bare hands on occasion, to find the 14 students still missing. Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025 The crew was seen operating an excavator, and slamming what appeared to be a sledgehammer, to pull out the colorful sidewalk pavers. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 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 19 Oct. 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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