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

So far, none of the tribes he works with has insisted on midden preservation — though that’s a conversation he’d like to intensify in the coming year, as the erosion threat increases.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 28, 2023

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

From BBC • Nov. 4, 2022

One theory archaeologists are knocking about is the trove or artifacts might have been a midden or pit where detritus was tossed.

From Washington Times • Apr. 27, 2019

“A shell heap or shell midden — it’s basically their trash.”

From New York Times • Jan. 16, 2017

On the cave floor what looked to me like nothing in particular turned out to be an ancient midden: a refuse heap.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann