Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

spelunking

/spəlˈʌŋkɪŋ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.99 in modern English

Syllables: spelunk-ing
IPA: /spəlˈʌŋkɪŋ/

17

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The practice or hobby of exploring underground caverns.

Uncountable

verb

present participle and gerund of spelunk

Example Sentences

"In the great myths, the adventures are external, even when they involve such metaphorical spelunkings as the voyage into the underworld."

Etymology

From spelunk + -ing. Back-formation from spelunker. Attested since 1946.

Word Breakdown

Suffix: spelunk

Usage

Uncountable

Inflected Forms

spelunkings (plural)

Synonyms

caving

Rhymes With

debunking flunking plunking junking

Questions

How do you pronounce spelunking?: The recorded pronunciation is /spəlˈʌŋkɪŋ/.
What does spelunking mean?: The practice or hobby of exploring underground caverns.
Where does spelunking come from?: From spelunk + -ing. Back-formation from spelunker. Attested since 1946.

How to pronounce spelunking

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “spelunking”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/spəlˈʌŋkɪŋ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “spelunking”.
Repeat and practice — Say “spelunking” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.