# exploration

Pronunciation: say "ek-spluh-RAY-shuhn" /ˌɛkspləˈɹeɪʃən/

## Noun

1. The process of traveling through or into a region, especially unknown or unmapped territory, for the purpose of discovery.
   - Simple: Traveling through new or unknown places to find out what is there.
   - _The polar regions remained blank on maps until systematic exploration began in the nineteenth century._
   - _Robotic probes now carry out much of the exploration of the outer solar system._
2. The process of examining, investigating, or searching through something in order to learn about it.
   - Simple: Going through or studying something new to learn more about it.
   - _The therapy sessions involved gentle exploration of childhood memories._
   - _Careful exploration of the dataset revealed an unexpected pattern in the results._
3. The stage before mining in which companies locate ore deposits and determine whether they are commercially viable, following initial prospecting; also called mineral exploration.
   - Simple: Searching an area carefully to find valuable metals or minerals that a company could mine.
   - _After promising surface samples, the firm budgeted ten million dollars for exploration of the site._
   - _Drilling is the most expensive phase of exploration, so geologists choose target sites carefully._
4. A doctor's or dentist's close physical examination of a patient or of one part of the body.
   - Simple: A careful check of a patient's body to find out what is wrong.
   - _Exploration of the abdomen revealed no sign of internal bleeding._
   - _The dentist carried out brief exploration of the cracked tooth before recommending treatment._

## Origin

This word comes from Middle French exploration, which in turn derives from Latin exploratio; it can also be analyzed as explore plus the suffix -ation.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/exploration (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).