explorers

IPA/ɪkˈsplɔː.rər/
KK[ɪksplˈɔrɚz]IPA/ɪkˈsplɔːr.ɚ/

explorers — noun

  • explorerssingular
  • explorersesplural

1. individuals who travel to little-known or uncharted places to learn about what e

1.nounB1
Definition

individuals who travel to little-known or uncharted places to learn about what exists there, typically for scientific or geographical purposes.

Example

The early explorers who crossed the Pacific Ocean had to rely on the stars for navigation.

early explorers — collocation for historical discoverers

Amara and her team of polar explorers spent six months studying penguin colonies in Antarctica.

polar explorers — explorers specializing in Arctic/Antarctic regions

Common collocations
  • early explorers
  • polar explorers
  • European explorers
  • Spanish explorers
  • first explorers
  • explorers set out
  • explorers discovered
  • explorers mapped
  • explorers sailed
Synonyms
  • pioneers

    Pioneers emphasizes being the first to settle or develop a region; explorers focus on travel and discovery without necessarily settling.

  • adventurers

    Adventurers is a broader term that highlights risk and excitement; explorers often have a scientific or systematic purpose.

  • voyagers

    Voyagers specifically suggests long journeys, especially by sea; explorers can travel by any means to any destination.

Usage Note

The plural form 'explorers' is used when talking about the group or profession as a whole. The singular form 'explorer' refers to one individual person.

Common Mistakes

The explorers traveled to a new city.
The explorers traveled to an uncharted island.
'Explorers' implies discovering unknown places, not just visiting new places.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Explorers, pioneers, adventurers, and voyagers all refer to people who travel, often to unfamiliar places, but their core meanings differ in key ways. Explorers travel specifically to discover or learn about unknown places — their goal is knowledge or geographical understanding. Pioneers are people who are the first to enter, settle, or develop a region; the emphasis is on being 'first' and often on establishing a presence. Adventurers seek excitement, risk, or new experiences — the journey itself and its thrill are central, not systematic discovery. Voyagers undertake long journeys, especially by sea, but a voyage may have a known destination and a routine purpose, unlike exploration. For example: 'The explorers documented 47 new species during their Amazon expedition.' 'The pioneers built the first schools and roads in the valley.' 'She is an adventurer who kayaks through remote mountain rivers for the thrill of it.' 'The voyagers crossed the Atlantic in three weeks on a cargo ship.'

explorers ↗pioneers ↗adventurers ↗voyagers ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • polar explorers
  • early explorers
  • European explorers
  • space explorers
  • Spanish explorers
  • Portuguese explorers
  • first explorers

Phrases

  • team of explorers
  • group of explorers
  • age of explorers

Prepositions

  • explorers from
  • explorers of

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'explorer' traces back to Latin 'explorare', meaning 'to investigate or examine', itself formed from 'ex-' ('out') and 'plorare' ('to cry out' — originally referring to scouts who shouted to signal findings). It entered English in the early 1600s, first describing scouts or spies sent to reconnoiter enemy territory, and later broadened to anyone who travels into unknown regions for discovery.

First known use

1577

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1