Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SPELUNKING
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pronounce
SPELUNKING:
Say it "spuh LUNK ing."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Spelunking: it's the exploration of caves. Literally or figuratively!
What about the literal or figurative exploration (or measurement) of watery depths? That's p____ing.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
Our word "spelunking" traces back to the Greek spelos, meaning "a cave."
In English, going back to the 1300s, "spelunk" has meant "a cave." We don't use that noun "spelunk" anymore, but we do use some of its relatives. A spelunker, for example, is a person who explores caves.
And spelunking is the activity (the hobby, or the practice) of exploring caves.
That's literally speaking, of course. You can also get figurative: spelunking is the exploration of things that remind you of caves, maybe because they're dark, hidden, complex, or mysterious.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Noun: "They love spelunking."
Also a form of the verb: "They're always spelunking."
Other forms:
The verb is "spelunk." So there's also "spelunked" and "spelunker(s)."
For an adjective meaning "like a cave, or having caves, or involving caves," you can use "speluncar" (say it "spuh LUN car") or "speluncean" (say it "spuh LUN see yun").
how to use it:
Pick the funny, rare, slangy, metaphorically rich word "spelunking" when you want to compare some activity, topic, or sphere to a cave: deep, dark, complex, mysterious, menacing, possibly claustrophobic, possibly full of dangers or discoveries, etc.
Talk about people spelunking, or about people going spelunking, or about going spelunking in or into certain places.
examples:
"I love Vocab. It's like spelunking in a cave you've been in your whole life and discovering a thousand new tunnels."
— Amy Sarig King, Please Ignore Vera Dietz, 29 February 2010
"Every few months, I spelunk into the world of online indie television."
— Emily Nussbaum, The New Yorker, 2 June 2014
has this page helped you understand "spelunking"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "spelunking" without saying "the exploration of caverns" or "the probing of cavern-like topics."
try it out:
In a novel, Ed McBain wrote, "The cave seemed not in the least bit inviting. He had always considered spelunkers the choicest sorts of maniacs."
Would you agree or disagree? In other words, when you consider actual spelunking, does it seem thrilling to you, or terrifying? Or both, or somewhere in between? Why?
Having explained your feelings about literal spelunking, could you name some activity that, to you, would be a figurative kind of spelunking?
For example, I'd find actual spelunking terrifying, because what if I get lost? It'd be like the earth ate me alive. I'd compare it to exploring a foreign city where I don't speak the language and I don't have a phone or a map. I'd be terrified. But maybe you'd be thrilled?
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is "Codenames MYP." You can play it with a partner or by yourself. It's loosely based on the fantastic game Codenames Duet.
Check out the words in the grid. Ignore the colors; they're just the ones I had on hand.
If you’re playing with a partner, pick any 2 or 3 terms from the grid, and give your partner a one-word clue to help them guess your terms--without stumbling onto any that you didn't pick. Your partner can do the same for you. No hints! Just say your clue word and the number of terms it should point toward.
If you're playing solo, try to guess 3 terms in the grid by using this clue: "seeing." To see these answers, scroll all the way down.
If you need any definitions, give these a click:
tailspin, abyss, Rorschach test,
marginalia, triptych, aperture,
bulwark, amulet, panopticon.
review this word:
A. a TALKER.
B. a HOMEBODY (someone who prefers the comforts of home).
C. a HYPOCHONDRIAC (someone who exaggerates their own illnesses or symptoms).
2.
Rather than getting your information secondhand (or thirdhand, or worse), grab your _____ and go spelunking, exploring the primary sources: the _____ of historical treaties, scientific studies, and, _____ of all, the tax code.
A. lantern .. dim caverns .. darkest
B. galoshes .. marshy ponds .. most miry
C. climbing boots .. steep slopes .. most dizzying
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Spelunking: it's the exploration of caves. Literally or figuratively!
Our word "spelunking" traces back to the Greek spelos, meaning "a cave."
Part of speech:
Pick the funny, rare, slangy, metaphorically rich word "spelunking" when you want to compare some activity, topic, or sphere to a cave: deep, dark, complex, mysterious, menacing, possibly claustrophobic, possibly full of dangers or discoveries, etc.
"I love Vocab. It's like spelunking in a cave you've been in your whole life and discovering a thousand new tunnels."
Explain the meaning of "spelunking" without saying "the exploration of caverns" or "the probing of cavern-like topics."
In a novel, Ed McBain wrote, "The cave seemed not in the least bit inviting. He had always considered spelunkers the choicest sorts of maniacs."
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |
