exploration (n.)

"act of exploring, examination, or investigation," especially for the purpose of discovery and specifically of an unknown country or part of the earth, 1540s, from French exploration and directly from Latin explorationem (nominative exploratio) "an examination," noun of action from past-participle stem of explorare "investigate, examine" (see explore). Alternative explorement is from 1640s.

also from 1540s

Entries linking to exploration

explore (v.)

1580s, "to investigate, examine," a back-formation from exploration, or else from French explorer (16c.), from Latin explorare "investigate, search out, examine, explore," said to be originally a hunters' term meaning "set up a loud cry," from ex "out" (see ex-) + plorare "to weep, cry." Compare deplore. De Vaan notes modern sources that consider "the ancient explanation, ... that the verb explorare originally meant 'to scout the hunting area for game by means of shouting'" to be "not unlikely." Second element also is explained as "to make to flow," from pluere "to flow." Meaning "to go to a country or place in quest of discoveries" is first attested 1610s. Related: Explored; exploring.

Trends of exploration

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to Explore

Anasazi

ruins of southwestern United States in the Mesa Verde region c. 1889 by rancher and trader Richard Wetherill, who began exploration...

space

spacecraft (1928, Popular Science); space travel (1931); space station "large artificial satellite used as a base for space exploration...

c. 1300, serchen, "go through and examine carefully and in detail" (transitive), from Old French cerchier "to search" (12c., Modern French chercher), from Latin circare "go about, wander, traverse," in Late Latin "to wander hither and thither, go round, explore," from circus "cir

chaser

c. 1300, "horse trained for chasing," agent noun from chase (v.), probably in some cases from Old French chaceor "huntsman, hunter." The meaning "water or mild beverage taken after a strong drink" is by 1894, U.S. colloquial. French had chasse (from chasser "to chase") "a drink o

expedition

early 15c., expedicioun, "military campaign; the act of rapidly setting forth," from Old French expedicion "an expediting, implementation; expedition, mission" (13c.) and directly from Latin expeditionem (nominative expeditio) "an enterprise against an enemy, a military campaign,

hunt

Old English huntian "chase game" (transitive and intransitive), perhaps developed from hunta "hunter," and related to hentan "to seize," from Proto-Germanic *huntojan (source also of Gothic hinþan "to seize, capture," Old High German hunda "booty"), which is of uncertain origin.

hunting

modification of Old English huntung "a hunt, chase; what is hunted, game," verbal noun from hunt (v.). Bartlett (1848) notes it as the word commonly used by sportsmen in the Southern states of the U.S. where in the North they use gunning. Happy hunting-grounds "Native American af

consideration

mid-14c., consideracioun, "a beholding, looking at," also "a keeping in mind," also "contemplation, reflection," from Old French consideracion (12c., Modern French considération) and directly from Latin considerationem (nominative consideratio) "consideration, contemplation, refl

probe

early 15c., "slender, flexible rod for exploring the conditions of wounds or other cavities in the body," also "a medical examination," from Medieval Latin proba "examination," in Late Latin "a test, proof," from Latin probare "show, demonstrate; test, inspect; judge by trial" (s

vow

"solemn promise," c. 1300, from Anglo-French and Old French voe (Modern French vœu), from Latin votum "a promise to a god, solemn pledge, dedication; that which is promised; a wish, desire, longing, prayer," noun use of neuter of votus, past participle of vovere "to promise solem

Share exploration

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/exploration

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/exploration">Etymology of exploration by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of exploration. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/exploration

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of exploration,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/exploration.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of exploration.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/exploration. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of exploration.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/exploration (accessed $(datetime)).

updated on December 08, 2020

Remove ads >

Trending words

1. teacher
2. autumn
3. empathy
4. philadelphia
5. research
6. vote
7. pan
8. deluge
9. humble
10. compassion

Dictionary entries near exploration

explicitly

explode

exploit

exploitation

exploitative

exploration

exploratory

explore

explorer

explosion

explosive