earthwork

[ urth-wurk ]

/ ˈɜrθˌwɜrk /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR earthwork ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

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

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.

Nearby words

earthshine, earthstar, earthward, earthwards, earthwoman, earthwork, earthworm, earthy, earwax, earwig, earwigging

Origin of earthwork

First recorded in 1625–35; earth + work

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for earthwork

The mask also points to how early Smithson came to the main motif of his most famous work, the “Spiral Jetty” earthwork from 1970.
The Spirit of Land Art|Blake Gopnik|August 22, 2012|DAILY BEAST
On our left was an earthwork of strong profile, from which now the rebels turned their guns upon us.
Three Years in the Sixth Corps|George T. Stevens
Not far from St. Columb Major there is one of the most perfect remains of an ancient castle of the earthwork kind.
Cornwall|G. E. Mitton
The caste are employed on all kinds of earthwork, such as building walls, excavating trenches, and making embankments in fields.
The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India - Volume IV of IV|R.V. Russell

The cool behaviour of the three even raised a cheer before they had entered the earthwork, calling a sharp order from the ensign.
With Wellington in Spain|F. S. Brereton
Under the wagons, completely around the circle, a shallow trench was dug and an earthwork thrown up.
The Jacket (The Star-Rover)|Jack London

British Dictionary definitions for earthwork

earthwork

/ (ˈɜːθˌwɜːk) /

noun

excavation of earth, as in engineering construction

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

earthwork

noun

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of earthwork

Examples from the Web for earthwork

British Dictionary definitions for earthwork

earthwork

noun