stope

Meanings

Noun

• A mining excavation in the form of a terrace of steps.

Verb

• To excavate in the form of stopes.
• To fill in with rubbish, as a space from which the ore has been worked out.

Origin

• Apparently related to step, but with uncertain phonological development. Perhaps from a German Low German word like Stoop, from Middle Low German stōpe ("step"). More at stoop.