excavator

noun

ex·​ca·​va·​tor ˈek-skə-ˌvā-tər 

: 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

The idea is that as an operator mimes picking up a pile of rocks, the arm would generate a force in response, as if the operator could feel the heaviness of the rocks, confirming that the excavator is indeed picking them up. — New Atlas, 21 Aug. 2026

Bulldozers and excavators in Texas’ Big Bend National Park are at a standstill as the chief of US Customs and Border Protection visits to assess how the agency should move forward with plans for new border security measures. — Ashley Killough, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026

Officers found an unoccupied excavator in the bank's parking lot. — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026

The frantic search for survivors has long since yielded to the grim spectacle of excavators clearing ruins. — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

excavate + -or entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1815, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for excavator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• alligator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator

Medical Definition

excavator

noun

ex·​ca·​va·​tor ˈek-skə-ˌvāt-ər 

: an instrument used to open bodily cavities (as in the teeth) or remove material from them