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Definition of embankment

embankment

/ɪmˈbæŋk.mənt/
em · bank · ment
Plural:embankments
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embankment Lexical Profile

embankment Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A raised wall or mound of earth, stone, or concrete built to hold back water or to support an elevated roadway or railway.

Example

"Engineers reinforced the river embankment with heavy stones to protect the town from seasonal flooding."

2

The process or action of constructing a raised bank or protective barrier of earth and stone.

Example

"The embankment of the low-lying marshland took nearly three years of continuous civil engineering work."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

embalm
embalmer
embalmment
embankment
embargo
embark
embarkation

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in the late 18th century by adding the noun suffix '-ment' to the verb 'embank', which itself combines the prefix 'em-' (from Old French 'en-', meaning 'to put into') with 'bank' (from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse 'bakki', meaning 'riverbank' or 'ridge').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Embankment. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/embankment
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