EXPLORATION

[noun]Livingstone was the first European to make an exploration of the Zambezi river (= to travel to it in order to discover more about it). [C]In 1492, Columbus set out on the voyage of exploration which led to his discovery of the New World. [U]We need to carry out a full exploration (= examination) of all the alternatives. [C]The doctor made a careful exploration of the child's injuries (= felt them carefully). [C]The exploration (= search) for new sources of energy is vital for the future of our planet. [U]