earthwork
noun
earth·work
| \ ˈərth-ˌwərk
\
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Definition of earthwork
1
: an embankment or other construction made of earth
especially
: one used as a field fortification
2
: the operations connected with excavations and embankments of earth
3
: a work of art consisting of a portion of land modified by an artist
Examples of earthwork in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And outside present-day St. Louis, Missouri, 10,000 people helped erect massive earthwork pyramids into a city now known as Cahokia around the time the real-life Macbeth ruled Scotland. — Russell Contreras, The Seattle Times, "PBS docuseries ‘Native America’ recreates cultures pre-1492," 23 Oct. 2018 In 2010, the Dutch renovated Fort de Roovere, part of the earthworks erected to protect the Water Line when besieged. — Ken Jennings, Condé Nast Traveler, "Moses Bridge: The Netherlands' Bridge Under Troubled Water," 6 Aug. 2018 In later digs Noël Hume determined that the ditch alongside the earthwork cuts across the workshop—suggesting the fort was built after the lab and possibly wasn't even Elizabethan. — Andrew Lawler, Science | AAAS, "Archaeologists start a new hunt for the fabled Lost Colony of the New World," 6 June 2018 Today, 80 out of 120 earthen mounds dating from A.D. 1050 to 1200 still exist, including the 100-foot-tall Monks Mound, the largest earthwork in North America and the only mound visitors can climb. — Andrea Sachs, chicagotribune.com, "This summer, stop by the 23 U.S. locales that have risen to become UNESCO World Heritage sites," 4 May 2018 The immense earthworks the war left in Europe and Asia will endure long after the official monuments have been carted off to make room for new subdivisions. — Maya Dukmasova, Chicago Reader, "Archive Dive / History / News On winning wars and losing memories," 18 Apr. 2018 No prehistoric earthwork in the Americas is bigger. — Mary Bergin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Beyond Chicago: 5 other Illinois cities to visit during this bicentennial year," 13 Apr. 2018 Experts believe that the earthworks were probably constructed during seasonal droughts, enabling the forests to be cleared. — James Rogers, Fox News, "Amazing Amazon discovery: 'Uninhabited' areas were once home to a million people," 28 Mar. 2018 Francisco Nakahara, a retired financial manager in São Paulo who studies free online satellite photos as a hobby, first spotted the traces of circular earthworks, the researchers said. — Robert Lee Hotz, WSJ, "Satellites Reveal Ancient Civilization Beneath the Amazon Rainforest," 27 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'earthwork.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for earthwork
earthwork
noun
English Language Learners Definition of earthwork
: a raised bank or wall made of soil
See the full definition for earthwork in the English Language Learners Dictionary