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.
But over the past two days, instead of seeing the green and red foliage, Huber saw excavators, a growing pile of cut-down tree limbs and a clear view of the highway. — Charlotte Observer, 28 Oct. 2026 But this May, less than four years later, it was stripped for parts worth millions and crushed, the steel teeth of an excavator tearing through its fuselage at a facility on the outskirts of Phoenix. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026 La Guaira, Venezuela — The deafening roar of excavators echoes through the rubble, drowning out all other sounds. — CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 Hours before excavators were set to begin work, a handful of residents were still inside, desperately trying to pack up their remaining belongings. — La'tasha Givens, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 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

Rhymes for excavator

See All Rhymes for excavator

Browse Nearby Words

excavation
excavator
excavatory
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Excavator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excavator. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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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
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