earthwork
|earth-work|
🇺🇸
/ˈɝθwɝk/
🇬🇧
/ˈɜːθwɜːk/
work made of or involving earth
Etymology
'earthwork' originates from Old English elements 'eorþe' (meaning 'earth') and 'weorc' (meaning 'work'); it is a compound formed from those two words.
'earthwork' appeared in Middle English in forms such as 'erthewerk' or 'erþeweorc' and was commonly written as 'earth-work' in Early Modern English before becoming the single word 'earthwork' in contemporary usage.
Initially it literally meant 'work of earth' (a work made of or involving earth); over time the word retained that basic sense but broadened to cover both defensive mounds and the civil-engineering activities/structures involving earth.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a bank, mound, or embankment of earth built as a defensive work or as part of a structure (a fortification or earth-made barrier).
The soldiers took cover behind the earthwork.
Synonyms
Noun 2
in civil engineering and construction, the work of moving, shaping, or depositing large quantities of soil or rock (cutting, filling, grading) or the resulting structure.
The highway project involved extensive earthwork to level the valley.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/06 07:31