Exploratory
/ɪkˈsplɔːrətəri/noun
Serving to investigate or examine something in order to learn more about it.
Did you know?Exploratory comes from Latin *explōrāre*, which originally meant to search out or examine carefully, and may be connected to an older sense of making a loud cry to test or scout, not mystical at all but very close to ritualized seeking.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pleu-
“A proposed root meaning related to flowing or moving, sometimes discussed in older etymological proposals but not securely relevant to the modern word.”
Latin
Latin
explōrāre
“To search out, investigate, or reconnoiter carefully.”
Late Latin
Latin
explōrātōrius
“Pertaining to scouting or examining.”
Middle French
Old French
exploratoire
“Exploratory, relating to investigation or examination.”
Early Modern English
English
exploratory
“Relating to the act of exploring or investigating.”
Modern English
English
exploratory
“Used for investigation, discovery, or preliminary testing.”