EMBANKMENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does embankment mean? 

• EMBANKMENT (noun)
  The noun EMBANKMENT has 1 sense:

1. a long artificial mound of stone or earth; built to hold back water or to support a road or as protection

  Familiarity information: EMBANKMENT used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EMBANKMENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A long artificial mound of stone or earth; built to hold back water or to support a road or as protection

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("embankment" is a kind of...):

hill; mound (structure consisting of an artificial heap or bank usually of earth or stones)

Meronyms (parts of "embankment"):

revetement; revetment; stone facing (a facing (usually masonry) that supports an embankment)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "embankment"):

levee (an embankment that is built in order to prevent a river from overflowing)

bulwark; rampart; wall (an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes)

Derivation:

embank (enclose with banks, as for support or protection)