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adit

American  
[ad-it] / ˈæd ɪt /

noun

  1. an entrance or a passage.

  2. Also called entry. Mining. a nearly horizontal passage leading into a mine.

  3. an approach or access.


adit British  
/ ˈædɪt /

noun

  1. an almost horizontal shaft into a mine, for access or drainage

"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 adit

1595–1605; < Latin aditus an approach, equivalent to ad- ad- + -i- (stem of īre to go) + -tus suffix of v. action


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.

See Examples For:

"As soon as you go in through that adit, you could literally be back in the 1800s," he said.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2021

Once the tunnel was in use, the adit served as a ventilation shaft.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 30, 2021

Lina points to a low tunnel leading off the main passage, an access adit perhaps two feet high.

From The New Yorker ● May 23, 2019

The solar panels are intended for just the adit of the shaft, Bierman said.

From Washington Times ● Jan. 4, 2016

It is also cheaper to drive an adit than to sink an incline.

From The Business of Mining A brief non-technical exposition of the principles involved in the profitable operation of mines by Arthur J. Hoskin

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