Standard Lemma guide

spelunking

noun · verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: S P AH0 L AH1 NG K IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The practice or hobby of exploring underground caverns.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: caving

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

present participle and gerund of spelunk

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From spelunk + -ing. Back-formation from spelunker. Attested since 1946.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: speleologie — exploring underground caverns
  • Finnish: luolatutkimus — exploring underground caverns
  • Finnish: speleologia — exploring underground caverns
  • French: spéléologie — exploring underground caverns
  • German: Höhlenwandern — exploring underground caverns
  • Irish: uaimheadóireacht — exploring underground caverns
  • Korean: 케이빙 (keibing) — exploring underground caverns
  • Romanian: speologie — exploring underground caverns
  • Russian: спелеоло́гия (speleológija) — exploring underground caverns
  • Slovene: jamarstvo — exploring underground caverns
  • Spanish: espeleísmo — exploring underground caverns
  • Spanish: espeleoturismo — exploring underground caverns
  • Vietnamese: sự thích khảo sát hang động — exploring underground caverns
  • Welsh: ogofa — exploring underground caverns