explorer

noun

ex·​plor·​er ik-ˈsplȯr-ər 

1

: one that explores

especially : a person who travels in search of geographical or scientific information

2

Explorer : a member of a coed scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America for young people ages 14 to 20 focusing on career awareness

Examples of explorer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Led by British explorer John Franklin, the expedition involved two ships, the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror. —Tom Metcalfe, Scientific American, 7 May 2026

This was a typical Tuesday and Thursday for the 4- and 5-year-old explorers who are part of the Zoo School’s Nature’s Navigators program. —Lina Ruiz may 4, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 May 2026

Calderón Franco compares being a birding guide in Colombia today to being an explorer during the Victorian era. —Anderson Cooper, CBS News, 3 May 2026

Head to the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural, & Educational Center to learn more about one of the most famous explorers in American history. —Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for explorer

• restorer
• borer
• corer
• horror
• maurer
• scorer
• storer

Kids Definition

explorer

noun

ex·​plor·​er ik-ˈsplōr-ər 

-ˈsplȯr-

1

: one that explores

a vehicle called the lunar explorer

especially : a person who travels in search of new geographical or scientific information

2

capitalized : a member of the scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America for young people 14 to 20 years old

Medical Definition

explorer

noun

ex·​plor·​er ik-ˈsplōr-ər, -ˈsplȯr- 

: an instrument for exploring cavities especially in teeth : probe sense 1