speleology
/ˌspiːlɪˈɒlədʒi
/ /ˌspɛlɪˈɒlədʒi/noun [mass noun]
The study or exploration of caves.Her interests include archaeology, botany and speleology....
- His field of expertise is speleology (the study of caves) and karstology (the study of karst lands).
- He studied speleology and wrote a book on the work and life of Karel Absolon, discoverer of the Punkva caves near Brno.
Derivatives
speleological
- He was till recently the head scientist at the world's first speleological institute.
- None of these had a map, any recollection of the cave's name, or predictably, even basic speleological Slovak.
- ‘It was outfitted for tourism without taking into account speleological studies that had been carried out over several decades,’ Redonte said.
speleologist
/ /ˌspɛlɪˈɒlədʒɪst/ noun ...- When speleologists found one such cave in 1977, they named it after Australia's Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser.
- The Velebit region is Croatia's largest mountain range, attracting speleologists, botanists and hikers from around the world.
- From all corners came archaeologists, anthropologists, speleologists: none of them believed him.
Origin
Late 19th century: from French spéléologie, via Latin from Greek spēlaion 'cave'.