What is the meaning of word spelunking?
: the hobby or practice of exploring caves.
What the heck is spelunking?
Spelunking arises from the world of speleology, which is the scientific study of caves and the cave environment. So, if the goal were to explore a cave recreationally, the term caving would be the more appropriate term to use. By the way, potholing is the British term for the sport of cave exploration.
Is spelunking a real word?
To spelunk is to explore natural caves. Geologists do a lot of spelunking. This is a weird-looking word, but it has a simple meaning: to explore natural caves. Some people spelunk as a hobby: they are spelunkers.
What is spelunking activity?
Spelunking (also known as caving) is the recreational exploration of caves. The difficulty level and danger, not unlike hiking or rock climbing, varies widely. On one end of the spectrum, there are certainly family-friendly caves that can be walked through leisurely, or even on a guided tour, using a paved path.
Why is it called spelunking?
This group referred to themselves as spelunkers, a term derived from the Latin spēlunca (“cave, cavern, den”), itself from the Greek σπῆλυγξ spēlynks (“cave”). This is regarded as the first use of the word in the Americas. Throughout the 1950s, spelunking was the general term used for exploring caves in US English.
How did spelunking get its name?
We borrowed “spelunker” from Latin “spelunca,” which in turn derives from Greek “spelynx.” When you get to the bottom of things, you find that both the Latin and Greek words mean “cave.” Although “spelunker” might sound neat, be careful: some cave-exploring enthusiasts prefer the term “caver.”
What do people see when they Spelunk?
Nothing unleashes your inner Batman faster than spelunking – a global sport also known as caving. This increasingly popular recreational activity has you explore caves or grottos, as you walk, climb, squeeze and crawl your way through tight passages.
What is the origin of the word spelunking?
Why do they call it spelunking?
What is the history of spelunking?
The French language took the word from the Latin ‘spelaeum’, which means cave, cavern, den, or grotto. The Latin word spelaeum itself derives from the Greek ‘spelaion’, which means cave. The word spelunking arrived in the United States in the 1940s to describe a person who explores caves as a hobby or sport.