If you enjoy the sense of mystery that comes with exploration, you’ll be pleased to find that unanswered questions extend even into the word’s etymology.

The English language’s explore comes from the French verb explorer, which holds the same meaning, having hailed from our trusty Latin’s explorare, meaning to “investigate, search out, or examine”.

Where it gets interesting is the unconfirmed roots within Latin itself.

One theory suggests a combination of the prefix ex-, meaning “out”, and plorare, meaning “to weep or cry”. Postulated as a hunting term, some theorize that the word began in the context of surveying hunting terrain by means of shouting or crying (plorare) out (ex).

Alternatively, explore could be a marriage of ex and pluere, meaning “to flow”, as in “to flow out in search of adventure”.

Let me know in the comments which theory you like better! And, as always, feel free to request words for the following weeks. Happy Word Nerd Wednesday!