midden

American  

[mid-n] / ˈmɪd n /

noun

1. a dunghill or refuse heap.

2. kitchen midden.

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midden British  

/ ˈmɪdən /

noun

1. 1. archaic  a dunghill or pile of refuse

   2. dialect  a dustbin

   3. dialect  an earth closet

2. See kitchen midden

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Etymology

Origin of midden

1300–50; Middle English midding < Old Danish mykdyngja, equivalent to myk manure + dyngja pile ( Danish mødding )

Example Sentences

This later phase included shell middens, dense ceramic refuse, and a sophisticated system of canals and raised fields connected to maize-based farming.

From Science Daily

Additional evidence, like shell middens that bore evidence of having been eroded by strong currents, hinted at a potential paleotsunami.

From Scientific American

Check out Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park, a favorite of boaters and campers, or Dionisio Point Provincial Park, with 3,000-year-old shell middens and a pair of lighthouses just outside the park.

From Seattle Times

The new method involves systematically searching for active middens within survey plots designed to capture the majority of red squirrel habitat in the Pinaleno Mountains.

From Washington Times

Wearing my lovely new walking boots, I suddenly realise I have stumbled on a "midden" - a pungent pile of rhinoceros poo.

From BBC