A heavy machine, like a bulldozer or excavator, designed to move soil and rocks during construction.
Agent noun from 'earthmove,' combining 'earth' + 'move' + '-er' (Old English -ere, indicating an agent or instrument). Became standard terminology in construction and engineering during the 20th century.
The earthmover is basically the construction industry's beast of burden—it replaced thousands of workers with shovels, which is why the Caterpillar company became one of the most important manufacturers in modern history.
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