Meanings
nounspeleology (usually uncountable, plural speleologies)
plural speleologies
- uncountableusuallyThe scientific study of caves.
- uncountableusuallyThe recreational activity of exploring caves.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Frenchspéléologie
- Englishspeleology
From French spéléologie, coined by Émile Rivière in 1890. The word can be broken down as speleo- + -logy.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian спелеоло́гия
- спелеоло́гия (speleológija)scientific study of caves
Catalan espeleologia, espeleologia
- espeleologiascientific study of caves
- espeleologiarecreational activity of exploring caves
Chinese Mandarin 洞穴學 /洞穴学
- 洞穴學 /洞穴学 (dòngxuéxué)scientific study of caves
Czech speleologie
- speleologiescientific study of caves
Dutch speleologie
- speleologiescientific study of caves
Esperanto speleologio
- speleologioscientific study of caves
Finnish speleologia, luolatutkimus
- speleologiascientific study of caves
- luolatutkimusscientific study of caves
- luolatutkimusrecreational activity of exploring caves
French spéléologie
- spéléologiescientific study of caves
German Speläologie, Speleologie
- Speläologiescientific study of caves
- Speleologiescientific study of caves
- Höhlenforschungscientific study of caves
- Höhlenkundescientific study of caves
Greek σπηλαιολογία
- σπηλαιολογία (spilaiología)scientific study of caves
Hungarian szpeleológia, barlangtan
- szpeleológiascientific study of caves
- barlangtanscientific study of caves
- barlangkutatásrecreational activity of exploring caves
- barlangászatrecreational activity of exploring caves
Japanese 洞穴学
- 洞穴学 (dōketsugaku)scientific study of caves
Polish speleologia, alpinizm jaskiniowy
- speleologiascientific study of caves
- alpinizm jaskiniowyrecreational activity of exploring caves
- alpinizm podziemnyrecreational activity of exploring caves
Portuguese espeleologia
- espeleologiascientific study of caves
Romanian speologie
- speologiescientific study of caves
Russian спелеоло́гия
- спелеоло́гия (speleológija)scientific study of caves
Slovak speleológia
- speleológiascientific study of caves
Spanish espeleología, espeleísmo
- espeleologíascientific study of caves
- espeleísmorecreational activity of exploring caves
Swedish speleologi
- speleologiscientific study of caves
Tagalog palayungiban
- palayungibanscientific study of caves
Welsh ogofeg, ogofa
- ogofegscientific study of caves
- ogofarecreational activity of exploring caves
Cite this entry
APA
speleology. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speleology
MLA
“speleology.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speleology. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “speleology,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speleology.
Source: speleology on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.