shovel vs excavator

shovel and excavator both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
shovel	Yes	No	Yes	No
excavator	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, shovel and excavator are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of shovel include digger, power shovel.

shovel (noun)	excavator (noun)
a hand tool for lifting loose material; consists of a curved container or scoop and a handle	a machine for excavating
a fire iron consisting of a small shovel used to scoop coals or ashes in a fireplace	a workman who excavates for foundations of buildings or for quarrying
a machine for excavating
the quantity a shovel can hold

shovel (verb)	excavator (verb)
dig with or as if with a shovel