www.alphadictionary.com

Spelunk [spi-luhngk]

- back-formation from Spelunker {From obsolete spelunk, cave, > ME > OF spelunque, > Lat spēlunca, > Grk spēlunx

1: "a cave bug; one who explores caves as a hobby," 1942, formed from obs. spelunk "cave, cavern" (c.1300), from O.Fr. spelunque, from L. spelunca "a cave, cavern, grotto," from Gk. spelynx (gen. spelyngos).
An adjective, speluncar "of a cave" is recorded from 1855.
-OED

-or 2:



ok, maybe I should've saved this for April 1st...

Ah, good old Calvin and Hobbes. One of the greats. Good play on words in this one.

Too bad the word hasn't been taken up as of yet. Perhaps we need to work up its history a bit on our own to make it more palatable.

As this comes from the Greek, perhaps we could say the spelynx of this word have changed over time?

Of course, we also aren't told where the Greeks got the term. Anyone care to take up the challenge?