To explore means to travel through or investigate something unfamiliar to learn what it's like. When Lewis and Clark explored the American West in the early 1800s, they mapped rivers, documented plants and animals, and met Native American tribes that most Americans had never heard of. When astronauts explore space, they venture into the unknown to discover what's out there.

Exploration happens in everyday life too. You explore when you wander through a new neighborhood, checking out the parks and stores. Scientists explore questions about how the universe works. A reader explores new worlds through books. Even clicking through an unfamiliar website or trying a food you've never tasted before counts as exploration.

The key element of exploration is curiosity combined with action. It means going beyond what you already know, whether that's physically traveling somewhere new or mentally investigating an idea. When your teacher says to explore different solutions to a math problem, she wants you to try various approaches and see what you discover. An explorer is someone who explores, and exploration is the act of exploring. The word suggests openness, courage, and a willingness to learn from the unexpected.