Wiktionary

explore

See also:exploré

English

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Etymology

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FromMiddle Frenchexplorer,fromLatinexplōrāre(“to investigate, search out”),itself said to be originally a hunters' term meaning "to set up a loud cry", fromex-(“out”)+plōrāre(“to cry”),but the second element is also explained as "to make to flow" (frompluere(“to flow”)).[1]

Pronunciation

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Verb

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explore(third-person singular simple presentexplores,present participleexploring,simple past and past participleexplored)

  1. (intransitive,obsolete)Toseekfor something or after someone.
  2. (transitive)Toexamineorinvestigatesomethingsystematically.
    The committee has beenexploringalternative solutions to the problem at hand.
    • 2013May-June,Katie L. Burke,“In the News”,inAmerican Scientist,volume101,number 3, page193:
      Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent studyexploredthe ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents.
  3. (transitive)Totravelsomewhere in search ofdiscovery.
    It was around that time that the expedition beganexploringthe Arctic Circle.
  4. (intransitive,medicine)To examinediagnostically.
  5. (transitive)To (seek)experiencefirst hand.
    It is normal for a boy of this age to beexploringhis sexuality.
  6. (intransitive)To be engaged exploring in any of the above senses.
    He was too busyexploringto notice his son needed his guidance.
  7. (intransitive)Towanderwithout any particularaimorpurpose.
    The boysexploredall around till cold and hunger drove them back to the campfire one by one.
    • 1909,Archibald Marshall[pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], “A Court Ball”, inThe Squire’s Daughter,New York, N.Y.:Dodd, Mead and Company,published1919,→OCLC,page 9:
      They stayed together during three dances, went out on to the terrace,exploredwherever they were permitted toexplore,paid two visits to the buffet, and enjoyed themselves much in the same way as if they had been school-children surreptitiously breaking loose from an assembly of grown-ups.
  8. (transitive)To seek sexualvariety,tosow one's wild oats.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions atWiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun

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explore(pluralexplores)

  1. (colloquial)Anexploration;a tour of a place to see what it is like.
    • 2008,John Watters,Bonza Voyage:
      Daylight was fading quickly, but I was still keen to have a littleexploreof the town and beach.

References

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  1. ^Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “explore”,inOnline Etymology Dictionary.

French

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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explore

  1. inflection ofexplorer:
    1. first/third-personsingularpresentindicative/subjunctive
    2. second-personsingularimperative

Galician

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Verb

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explore

  1. inflection ofexplorar:
    1. first/third-personsingularpresentsubjunctive
    2. third-personsingularimperative

Portuguese

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Verb

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explore

  1. inflection ofexplorar:
    1. first/third-personsingularpresentsubjunctive
    2. third-personsingularimperative

Spanish

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Verb

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explore

  1. inflection ofexplorar:
    1. first/third-personsingularpresentsubjunctive
    2. third-personsingularimperative
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