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 Division Golf, excavators are being brought in to address remaining heat pockets and smoke-producing areas in organic fuels. Christopher Harris, CBS News, 4 May 2026 Once a giant excavator bit into the levee to breach it, the tribe welcomed tidewater onto the land for the first time in over a century. John Ryan, NPR, 3 May 2026 One local contractor later told me that a woman from Washington had called his business, urging him to get down to the scene with his excavator. Robin Romm, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026 Next came a special excavator, with flotation devices that kept it on the water’s surface. Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Excavator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excavator. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

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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