earthscraper

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɝθˌskɹeɪp.ɚ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɜːθˈskɹeɪp.ə(ɹ)/
• Hyphenation: earth‧scra‧per

Etymology 1

From earth +‎ -scraper.

Noun

earthscraper (plural earthscrapers)

1. (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

Compound of earth +‎ scraper.

Noun

earthscraper (plural earthscrapers)

1. (construction, mining) Synonym of bellyscraper (“a piece of heavy equipment”)

   Coordinate terms: earth grader, bulldozer

Alternative forms

• earth-scraper, earth scraper