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
Explorer
: 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
French explorer René-Robert Cavalier de La Salle arrived in 1682, claiming the Mississippi River basin for France and naming the land Louisiana.
—
Kristy Christiansen, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
Speaking of historic ships, another fresh analysis has shown that polar explorer Ernest Shackleton’s vessel, the HMS Endurance, wasn’t doomed by its broken rudder.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
Peanuts, though native to the American hemisphere, were brought to Africa by Portuguese and Spanish explorers and traders, and only became popular in the United States when the slave trade brought them back.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2025
Over 1,000 years ago, explorers began using compasses, typically made with a floating cork or piece of wood with a magnetized needle in it, to find their way.
—Scott Brame, The Conversation, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explorer
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Kristy Christiansen, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
Speaking of historic ships, another fresh analysis has shown that polar explorer Ernest Shackleton’s vessel, the HMS Endurance, wasn’t doomed by its broken rudder.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
Peanuts, though native to the American hemisphere, were brought to Africa by Portuguese and Spanish explorers and traders, and only became popular in the United States when the slave trade brought them back.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2025
Over 1,000 years ago, explorers began using compasses, typically made with a floating cork or piece of wood with a magnetized needle in it, to find their way.
—Scott Brame, The Conversation, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for explorer
Cite this Entry
“Explorer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explorer. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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