speleologist
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˌspilɪˈɑlədʒɪst/
- Specialized
Examples
-
It was crazy to explore them without an experienced diver and speleologist.
Fiction book (1990) -
"When Anne did not answer, Michel continued, "Edouard-Alfred Martel, the famous, how do you say, speleologist."
Fiction book (2002) -
Speleologists and polar explorers, especially, are fascinated by the 24-hour hand.
Blog text (1) -
I have read of tunnels thousands of feet long: Ole Peterson's Mount St. Helens Lava Cave, which cannot be more than a dozen miles from here, is a modestly famous international destination for tourists and speleologists.
Fiction book (2001) -
A dedicated speleologist discovered ancient artifacts deep within the cave system.
-
The speleologist carefully mapped the intricate passageways of the underground cavern.
-
During the expedition, the speleologist noted the unique formations of stalactites and stalagmites.
Synonyms
4
5.8
A person who explores caves for fun, science, or work
2
9.1
A person who explores caves for fun
1
8.4
A person who explores caves for fun
How Experienced
Surface Forms
Morphology
speleologist = speleology (opaque) = speleo + log + ist
The word is built regularly from the learned base speleology plus -ist, but the cave-study base is too specialized for most B1 learners to infer the meaning easily.
Etymology
Speleologist comes from the Greek root spele-, from spelaion, meaning 'cave', and the part -ologist meaning 'one who studies'. So a speleologist is someone who 'studies caves', which is why the word means a cave scientist or explorer.