explorer

American  

[ik-splawr-er] / ɪkˈsplɔr ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that explores.

2. a person who investigates unknown regions.

   the great explorers of the Renaissance.

3. any instrument used in exploring or sounding a wound, a cavity in a tooth, or the like.

4. Also called Explorer Scout.  (initial capital letter) a person between the ages 14 and 20 who is an active participant in the exploring program sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America.

5. (initial capital letter) one of a long series of U.S. scientific satellites: Explorer 1 (1958) was the first U.S. artificial satellite.

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Explorer ¹ British  

/ ɪkˈsplɔːrə /

noun

1. Brit equivalent: Venture Scout.  a member of the senior branch of the Scouts

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Explorer ² British  

/ ɪkˈsplɔːrə /

noun

1. any of the first series of US satellites. Explorer 1 , launched in 1958, confirmed the existence of intense radiation belts around the earth

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Etymology

Origin of explorer

First recorded in 1675–85; explore + -er ¹

Example Sentences

In each of the seven episodes, Smith was guided by experts, scientists and explorers to discover more about the world.

From BBC

It has thwarted explorers and stifled merchants’ ambitions.

From The Wall Street Journal

In “Floyd Collins,” Jeremy Jordan met the challenge of bringing vital life to a character on the verge of losing his—a cave explorer trapped underground—in director Tina Landau’s restrained but deeply moving production.

From The Wall Street Journal

Banana Republic sales have rebounded as the company tries to turn the store into a premium destination with a “modern explorer” style.

From MarketWatch

There were memoirs by Arctic explorers, fearless mountaineers, and deep-sea divers who braved the briny deep wearing those newfangled diving costumes.

From Literature