Mineshaft
/ˈmaɪn.ʃæft/noun
A vertical or inclined passage dug into the ground to provide access to an underground mine.
Did you know?Medieval and early-modern miners often used fire-setting—heating rock with fires and then cooling it with water—to fracture otherwise impenetrable underground stone.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skep-
“To cut or split; a proposed ancient root connected with the Germanic ancestor of shaft.”
Old English
Old English
sceaft
“A shaft, pole, spear, or projecting beam.”
12th Century
Old French
mine
“An excavation or tunnel made to obtain metal or other minerals; ultimately of uncertain, probably Celtic origin.”
15th Century
English
shaft
“A vertical passage or excavation, especially one providing access to underground workings.”
17th Century
English
mineshaft
“A compound term for a shaft leading into or through a mine.”
Modern English
English
mineshaft
“A vertical or inclined underground passage used for access, ventilation, drainage, or transport.”