Earthwork - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
An earthwork is a structure or alteration made to the land, such as a mound, trench, or embankment, often created for construction, defense, or agriculture. It involves moving or shaping soil and rocks.
Definition:
Large-scale construction or alteration of land, typically for engineering or archaeological purposes.
Synonyms:
embankment, excavation, mound, fortification
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
demolition, leveling
Common Collocations:
ancient earthwork, defensive earthwork, massive earthwork, archaeological earthwork
Derivatives:
earthworks, earthworking
Usage Tips:
Use "earthwork" to describe human-made changes to terrain, often in construction or archaeology contexts.
Common Phrases:
Iron Age earthwork, prehistoric earthwork, medieval earthwork
Etymology:
Derived from Old English "eorþweorc," combining "earth" and "work," referring to manual labor on land.
Examples:
- 1. The archaeologists studied the ancient earthwork for clues about early settlements.
- 2. The construction crew built an earthwork to prevent flooding in the area.
- 3. This Neolithic earthwork is one of the largest in Europe.
- 4. The military used earthworks as defensive barriers during the war.