spelunking

spelunking

English

Etymology

spelunk +‎ -ing. Back-formation from spelunker. Attested since 1946.[1]

Noun

spelunking (usually uncountable, plural spelunkings)

1. The practice or hobby of exploring underground caverns; caving.
   • 2001, Nancy Hathaway, The Friendly Guide to Mythology (page 277)

     In the great myths, the adventures are external, even when they involve such metaphorical spelunkings as the voyage into the underworld.

Translations

exploring underground caverns

Dutch: speleologie (nl) f French: spéléologie (fr) f German: Höhlenwandern n Irish: uaimheadóireacht f Korean: 케이빙 (keibing) Romanian: speologie (ro) f

Russian: спелеоло́гия (ru) f (speleológija) Slovene: jamarstvo n Spanish: espeleología (es) f Vietnamese: sự thích khảo sát hang động Welsh: ogofa m

Verb

spelunking

1. present participle of spelunk (to explore underground caves).

References

1. “spelunker” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.