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

capitalized : 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

As early as 1585, English explorers were aware of the area, and the state’s first settlement, Bath, is only 15 miles away. —Caroline Eubanks, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2025

While cave explorers and the Mammoth Cave region at large would always remember his name, the world moved on from, arguably, the first viral news story of the 20th century. —Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025

For centuries, explorers relied on such vantage points to map their surroundings. —Ben Verghese, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

Potatoes come in lots of shapes, and researchers won't know exactly what Psyche looks like until NASA's asteroid explorer arrives in 2029. —ArsTechnica, 21 June 2025

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