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Glite Dictionary
🕳️ Exploring caves ⛑️ For cave use
caving

caving

4 3.5
An activity of exploring caves for fun or adventure
  • noun
  • /ˈkeɪvɪŋ/
translation icon : espeleología
  • The local club organizes monthly caving trips for those interested in exploring hidden underground landscapes.
  • caving ladder
  • caving expedition
  • caving expert

Examples

  • 2 days ago you all set off on a caving expedition and you never came back.

    The Descent: Part 2 (2009)

  • Because on her first caving expedition, someone got hurt.

    Within (2005)

  • Secrets travel fast in the caving world.

    Within (2005)

  • Caving is a whole new world.

    Within (2005)

  • A year later, the women gather again for a caving expedition in the Appalachian Mountains.

    Blog text (25)

  • In college, he joined Phi Kappa Tau, Delta Chapter, and with his friends, enjoyed caving trips, watching thunderstorms, and debating the big stuff.

    Origin (2023)

  • Many adventure seekers enjoy caving to explore the stunning underground formations.

  • During our vacation, we spent the weekend caving in the beautiful limestone caves of Kentucky.

Synonyms

spelunking
vscaving
  • US
2 7.9

An activity of exploring caves for fun and adventure

is the same activity but fits general recreation and adventure contexts
potholing
vscaving
  • Jargon
5.8

Exploring caves for fun, often as a hobby

is focused more on recreation and adventure rather than hobby sport

How Adventurous

caving
4 3.5
hiking
89 1.1
walking
337 1.0

Surface Forms

caving singular
cavings plural

Morphology

caving = cave (transparent) = cave + ing

This is a regular -ing formation from 'cave', and the activity meaning follows straightforwardly from the base word.

Etymology

Caving comes from the word cave, which comes from Latin cavus meaning 'hollow', and you can see the same root in cavity ('a hole'). So the activity called caving is literally going into hollows or caves to explore.