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Glite Dictionary
🕳️ Cave exploring 🔍 To search deeply
to spelunking

to spelunking

8.2
To search deeply through places, records, or topics to find hidden information
  • verb
  • /spəˈlʌŋkɪŋ/
  • US
translation icon : indagar
  • The research team was spelunking through ancient texts to gather information for their project.

And no, we don't think these dinosaurs were spelunking in magma flows.

Examples

  • While spelunking in the old library, he found a rare manuscript buried in a pile of books.

  • They spent the weekend spelunking in the dark caves, uncovering hidden wonders.

  • And no, we don't think these dinosaurs were spelunking in magma flows.

    SciShow

Synonyms

to explore
vsto spelunking
471 2.3

To study something carefully to learn more about it

stresses deeper, often physical or complex exploration rather than general study
to dig into
vsto spelunking
  • Informal
70 3.7

To look at something carefully, often by searching under the surface

is more broadly about exploring complex structures or subject matter
to delve
vsto spelunking
61 4.7

To look deeply into a subject to find information

is broader and more about exploring complex areas, not just details
to dig deep
vsto spelunking
43 4.4

Search carefully to find hidden facts or details

adds an exploratory sense of moving through complex places or topics
to probe
vsto spelunking
  • Literature
35 5.1

To ask careful questions to find hidden information

emphasizes active exploration of complex places or subject areas
to ferret out
vsto spelunking
  • Informal
13 6.7

To search carefully to find hidden facts or documents

is more about open-ended exploration rather than persistent discovery alone
to plumb
vsto spelunking
7 7.4

To examine something deeply to learn more about it

is more exploratory, focusing on searching complex places or subjects
to trawl
vsto spelunking
4 4.6

To search carefully through a large area or collection

focuses more on deep investigation inside a complex place or topic
to probe deeper
vsto spelunking
1 4.4

To look into something more carefully to find hidden facts

is about thorough exploratory searching across a complex area or topic
to plumb the depth
vsto spelunking
7.9

To examine something carefully to find hidden details

leans more toward active searching within complicated places or topics

How Thoroughly

to spelunking
  • US
8.2
searching
5.5
skimming
1 2.9

Surface Forms

spelunk infinitive
spelunked past
spelunked past participle
spelunking present participle
spelunks third person singular

Morphology

spelunking = spelunk (semi-transparent) = spelunk + ing

The verbal sense 'to investigate deeply' is a figurative extension from literal cave exploration and may not be fully predictable for all learners.

Etymology

Spelunking comes from an old Latin word spelunca that means 'cave', and a helpful way to remember its second use is to imagine going deep into a dark 'cave' of information. So to spelunk through records or ideas means to search deeply and carefully like a cave explorer.