exploration

American  

[ek-spluh-rey-shuhn] / ˌɛk spləˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. an act or instance of exploring or investigating; examination.

2. the investigation of unknown regions.

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exploration British  

/ ˌɛkspləˈreɪʃən, ɪkˈsplɒrətərɪ, -trɪ /

noun

1. the act or process of exploring

2. med examination of an organ or part for diagnostic purposes

3. an organized trip into unfamiliar regions, esp for scientific purposes; expedition

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Other Word Forms

• exploratory adjective
• reexploration noun

Etymology

Origin of exploration

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin explōrātiōn-, stem of explōrātiō “examination,” from explōrāt(us) “searched out, examined” (past participle of explōrāre “to search out, examine”; explore ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

But “Send Help” is more of a psychological exploration than overt class satire, though it does explore the ridiculous notion of what it would be like to be stranded on an island with your boss.

From Los Angeles Times

But that also marks a clear transformation in culinary programming from emphasizing the development of proficiency to encouraging consumption, and the fade-out of the shared cultural exploration Food Network once chaperoned.

From Salon

On Thursday, Venezuela's parliament adopted reforms that offer greater guarantees to private players, relinquishes state control of exploration, and lowers taxes.

From Barron's

The private space exploration company was founded by Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk, and is slated for a hotly anticipated initial public offering later this year.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Our approach complements slow simulations with rapid, reliable predictions, facilitating the systematic exploration of defect-rich regimes," says Prof. Na.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• analysis
• examination
• expedition
• inspection
• research
• search
• study
• travel