speleology

American

[spee-lee-ol-uh-jee] / ˌspi liˈɒl ə dʒi /

Or spelaeology

noun

the exploration and study of caves.

speleology British

/ ˌspiːlɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

the scientific study of caves, esp in respect of their geological formation, flora and fauna, etc
the sport or pastime of exploring caves

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

speleology Scientific

/ spē′lē-ŏl′ə-jē /

The exploration and scientific study of the geological and ecological features of caves.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of speleology

1890–95; < Latin spēlae ( um ) ( see spelaean) + -o- + -logy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

speleology

Ten Years Under the Earth makes it clear that speleology is no job for a claustrophobe.

From Time Magazine Archive

In the process, the Palmers and their colleagues are transforming speleology -- the study of caves -- from an oddball hobby into an extraordinarily fruitful field of scientific investigation.

From Time Magazine Archive

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023