Word of the Day

: April 30, 2010

spelunker

noun spih-LUNK-er

What It Means

: one who makes a hobby of exploring and studying caves

spelunker in Context

Our favorite B horror movie is about a group of spelunkers who discover a colony of zombies in a cavern.

Did You Know?

"Spelunker" sounds like the noise a pebble makes when you drop it down a deep hole and into dark, hidden water far below. But there's nothing dark or obscure about the etymology of the term. 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."