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earthwork

American  
[urth-wurk] / ˈɜrθˌwɜrk /

noun

  1. excavation and piling of earth in connection with an engineering operation.

  2. Military. a construction formed chiefly of earth for protection against enemy fire, used in both offensive and defensive operations.

  3. an artistic work that consists of a large-scale alteration or modification of an area of land in a configuration designed by an artist or of an artist's sculptural installation, as in a museum or gallery, of soil, rock, or similar elemental materials.


earthwork British  
/ ˈɜːθˌwɜːk /

noun

  1. excavation of earth, as in engineering construction

  2. a fortification made of earth

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of earthwork

First recorded in 1625–35; earth + work

Vocabulary lists containing earthwork

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Earthwork was done by Watts Construction of Kennewick, electrical work was by American Electric Inc. of Richland, and steel supply and erection was done by American Ironworks & Erectors of Spokane.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 28, 2022

A widely published landmark, it’s an Earthwork that few have seen except in photographs and many have written about.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2016

Starting in 1968, the Sculls financed some of Mr. Heizer’s first, best-known Earthwork sculptures in Nevada.

From New York Times • Apr. 15, 2010

Logarithms of Numbers—Logarithmic Sines and Co-Sines, Tangents and Co-Tangents—Natural Sines and Co-Sines—Tables for Earthwork, for Setting out Curves, and for various Calculations, etc., etc., etc.

From Wrinkles in Electric Lighting by Stephen, Vincent

The whole being adapted for convenient use by Engineers, Surveyors, Contractors, and others needing Correct Measurements of Earthwork.

From Mechanical Drawing Self-Taught by Rose, Joshua