explore

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪkˈsploɹ/ UK /ɪkˈsplɔː/ See IPA manual

Freq #5585

Meanings

1

verb
To travel through a place in order to learn about it or discover something.

The expedition set out to explore the Arctic.
2

verb
To examine or think about something carefully.

The committee has been exploring alternative solutions to the problem.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to examine or think about... research

Word family

Forms exploredexploresexploringunexplorableunexplored

Derived forms explorableexplorementexplorerexploringlyexploristaexplornographyreexploresexplore

Related forms exploration explorative exploratory

Simplified etymology

Explore entered English in the mid-16th century through French from Latin explorare “search out.” The Latin verb was formed from ex- “out” and plorare “utter a cry.”

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs Proto-Italic *eks Latin ex Latin ex- Latin plōrō Latin explōrōder. Middle French explorerder. English explore From Middle French explorer, from Latin explōrāre (“to investigate, search out”), itself said to be originally a hunters' term meaning "to set up a loud cry", from ex- (“out”) + plōrāre (“to cry”), but the second element is also explained as "to make to flow" (from pluere (“to flow”)).

explorer Middle French explōrō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# explore

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪkˈsploɹ/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪkˈsplɔː/
**Frequency rank:** 5585

## Meanings
1. To travel through a place in order to learn about it or discover something.
2. To examine or think about something carefully.

## Examples
- The expedition set out to explore the Arctic.
- The committee has been exploring alternative solutions to the problem.

## Derived Forms
- explorable
- explorement
- explorer
- exploringly
- explorista
- explornography
- reexplore
- sexplore

## Related Forms
- exploration
- explorative
- exploratory

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: explorer
- Root: explōrō

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs Proto-Italic *eks Latin ex Latin ex- Latin plōrō Latin explōrōder. Middle French explorerder. English explore From Middle French explorer, from Latin explōrāre (“to investigate, search out”), itself said to be originally a hunters' term meaning "to set up a loud cry", from ex- (“out”) + plōrāre (“to cry”), but the second element is also explained as "to make to flow" (from pluere (“to flow”)).

## AI Etymology
Explore comes from Middle French explorer, from Latin explōrāre (“to investigate, search out”), itself said to be originally a hunters' term meaning "to set up a loud cry", from ex- (“out”) + plōrāre (“to cry”), but the second element is also explained as "to make to flow" (from pluere (“to flow”)). In current use, the main senses are “To travel through a place in order to learn about it or discover something” and “To examine or think about something carefully”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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