spelunk

• spelunc

• IPA^(key): /spəˈlʌŋk/, /spiːˈlʌŋk/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ʌŋk

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.

spelunk (plural spelunks)

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

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

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.

• cave

• spelunking