earthscraper
English edit
Pronunciation edit
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɝθˌskɹeɪp.ɚ/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɜːθˈskɹeɪp.ə(ɹ)/
- Hyphenation: earth‧scra‧per
Etymology 1 edit
Noun edit
earthscraper (plural earthscrapers)
- (science fiction, architecture) A building that is built underground; a subterranean skyscraper.
- 2008, Alan Burt Akers, Gangs of Antares: Dray Prescot 45:
- By Vox! We went down all right. Spacious rooms were here piled one upon another connected by wide staircases. This subterranean temple was rather like an inverted skyscraper, an earthscraper, perhaps.
- 2014, Leopoldo Marechal, Adam Buenosayres: A Novel:
- So then I dreamed up a subterranean skyscraper (or,if you will, an earthscraper) with various floors, each of them constituting a different infernal abode;
- 2015, Joshua Viola, Blackstar:
- The earthscraper burst from the tunnel into daylight, sparks trailing. Elara turned hard against the wheel, corrected itstrajectory and spun one hundred and eighty degrees into a brigade of sentinels their weapons drawn.
Etymology 2 edit
Noun edit
earthscraper (plural earthscrapers)
- (construction, mining) Synonym of bellyscraper (“a piece of heavy equipment”)
- Coordinate terms: earth grader, bulldozer