earthwork
[ urth-wurk ]
/ ˈɜrθˌwɜrk /
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, earthworks, earthworm, earthy, earwax, earwig
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for earthwork
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
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Word Origin and History for earthwork
earthwork
1630s, from earth + work (n.). In this sense Old English had eorðbyrig; Old English eorðweorc meant "work on the land."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper