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

Both the United States and China plan to send robotic explorers to the south pole later this year, paving the way for human explorers to follow close behind. — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

Officials have released the first close-up images of the remains of Quest, the final ship of the legendary Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Well, technically Scott McMahan is the vice president of horticulture and collections at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, but being a plant explorer comes with the job. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026

The same year, Dean & Dean architect Earl Barnett designed a mural depicting Spanish explorer Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s search for gold on the west wall of the auditorium. — Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 2 Aug. 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