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Definition of exploratory adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

exploratory

adjective
 
/ɪkˈsplɒrətri/
 
/ɪkˈsplɔːrətɔːri/
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  1. done with the intention of examining something in order to find out more about it
    • exploratory surgery
    • exploratory drilling for oil
    • an exploratory expedition up the Amazon
    • Exploratory discussions between management and the unions have ended in stalemate.
    Oxford Collocations DictionaryExploratory is used with these nouns:
    • meeting
    • operation
    • stage
    See full entry
    Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin exploratorius, from Latin explorare ‘search out’, from ex- ‘out’ + plorare ‘utter a cry’.
See exploratory in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee exploratory in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
alloy
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Physics and chemistry
C2
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