spelunk

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English

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /spəˈlʌŋk/, /spiːˈlʌŋk/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ʌŋk

Etymology 1

From Middle English spelunke, from Old French spelonque and/or Latin spelunca, from Ancient Greek σπῆλυγξ (spêlunx, cave), related to σπέος (spéos). Cognates include Middle Dutch spelunke, spelonke, German Spelunke.

Noun

spelunk (plural spelunks)

  1. (obsolete) A cave, cavern or grotto.
Translations

Etymology 2

U.S., 1940s. Back-formation from spelunker.

Verb

spelunk (third-person singular simple present spelunks, present participle spelunking, simple past and past participle spelunked)

  1. To explore caves.
  2. To explore a system in depth.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations