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Check out these special words used in recent issues of
National Geographic Explorer.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
A
abdomen (AB duh mun):
back part of an ant's body
adaptation (ad ap TAY shun):
body part or action that allows an animal to live
ancient (AYN shunt):
from the far past
anthropologist (an thruh PAH luh jist):
scientist who studies human cultures
antibody (AN tee body):
substance that sticks to a germ
arachnid (uh RAK nid):
an animal with eight legs and a body divided into two parts
archaeologist (ar key AH la jist):
scientist who learns about ancient people by studying what they left behind
arthropod (arth RO pod):
animal without a backbone that usually has many legs
artifact (art uh FACT):
object left by people of the past
artifical satellite (art uh FISH uhl SAT uh light):
spacecraft launched by a rocket that goes around a planet or moon
asteroid (as TROYID):
space rock
asteroid belt (as TROYID buh elt):
area between Mars and Jupiter
astronomer (uh STRAH nuh mer):
scientist who studies space
atmosphere (AT mus fear):
gasses around a planet
atoll (AH-tul):
island made by coral polyps
automatic (aut oh MAH tick):
something that works without a person doing anything
axis (AX ess):
line about which a rotating body such as Earth turns
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B
baboon (bah BOON):
kind of monkey with long teeth
bacteria (back TEER ee uh):
tiny living things that can help or harm you
barrier island (BEAR-ee-uhr EYE-lind):
long, sandy island along a coast
basic need (BAY sic need):
something an organism can't survive without, such as food
bill (rhymes with still):
mouth of a bird
buffalo (BUFF a lo):
ox-like animal with big, curved horns
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C
caldera (cal DARE uh):
volcanic crater
carnivore (KAR nuh vor):
meat-eater
cartilage (KAR tih lij):
firm but flexible kind of tissue
caterpillar (cat er PILL er):
worm-like young of a butterfly or moth
cerata (sa RAH dah):
body part some nudibranchs use for breathing and digestion.
ceremony (SER uh moh nee):
special actions and words used to celebrate an important event
cheetah (CHEE ta):
big, spotted cat that can run very fast
cleaning station (KLEEN ing STAY shun):
place where shrimps clean fish
colonist (KAHL uh nest):
person who lives in a colony
colony (KAHL uh nee):
community that belongs to a distant country
compound eye (KAHM POUND I):
eye made up of many smaller eyes
conclusion (con CLOO shon):
an opinion formed after careful research and thinking
condense (con DENSE):
to change to a denser form
conservation (kahn zer VAY shun):
protecting Earth's places, plants, and animals
conserve (con surve):
to save without wasting
consumer (con SOOM er):
a living thing that eats other living things waste and living things that have died
continent (KAHN tin unt):
large land area
convergent boundary (con VER gent BOUN dree):
place where one of Earth's plates collides with or dives under another plate
coral reef (KOR el reef):
stony structure made by coral polyps
core (c or):
the center of Earth
cottage (KA tidge):
small house, often with no upstairs
crater (KRAY ter):
large hole in the ground
crust (crUH st):
the outer layer of Earth
culture (KUL chur):
group of people's way of life, ideas, customs, and traditions
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D
decomposer (dee com POZ er):
a living thing that breaks down
delta (DELL tah):
fan-shaped land at the mouth of a river
diurnal (die URN uhl):
active during the day
divergent boundary (die VER gent BOUN dree):
place where two of Earth's plates move apart
downdraft (DOWN draft):
downward current of air
drought (rhymes with
out
):
long period of time without rain or snow
dusk (DUH sk):
time just before dark
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E
earthquake (irth KWAKE):
sudden shaking of Earth's surface
echo (ECK oh):
sound that bounces off an object
echolocation (eck oh lo KAY shun):
using sound to find things
ecosystem (EE koh sis tem):
all of the living and nonliving things in an area
ecosystem (EE coh sis tem):
the interaction of all the living and nonliving things in an area
endangered (in DANE jird):
at risk of dying out
energy (EN er gee):
the ability to cause a change or make something happen
energy conservation (EN er gee kahn zer VAY shun):
using less energy
environment (in VI er ment):
the natural world on which all living things depend
erosion (uh ROW zhun):
when natural forces carry land bits away
ethnic group (ETH-nick group):
people who share a language, practices, and beliefs
evaporate (ee VAP ore ate):
to dry up
evidence (EH vih dens):
information that supports a conclusion
exoskeleton (ecks o SKEH luh tun):
hard outer covering
expedition (ex pih DISH on):
a long journey by a group of people to explore an area
extinct (EX tinkt):
when no more of a species exists
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F
fang (rhymes with sang):
long front tooth for tearing food
fault (rhymes with
MALT
):
big crack in Earth
filter feeder (FILL ter FEED er):
animal that swallows seawater, pushes it out, and eats creatures left behind
flipper (FLIP her):
body part a sea turtle uses to move
focus (FO cus):
to make a clear image in the eye
food chain (FOOD CHAIN):
series of plants and animals that eat one another
food web (f OO d w eh b):
the overlapping food chains in an ecosystem
forecast (FOR cast):
prediction about the weather
fortress (FOR tress):
large fort
frequency (FREE kwen see):
the number of sound waves per second
friction (FRIK shun):
rubbing of one thing against another
fungus (FUN guss):
mold-like plant
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G
gait (gate):
an animal's way of walking or running
galaxy (GAL uhk cee):
system of stars
gasoline (GAS oh leen):
form of oil used in cars
gavity (GRA vuh tea):
force that pulls things toward a star or planet
germ (rhymes with
term
):
tiny thing that can cause sickness
geyser (GI zuhr):
natural fountain
gill (rhymes with chill):
body part that lets an animal breathe underwater
glacier (GLAY shur):
large mass of moving ice
global warming (GLOW bul WAR ming):
worldwide rise in a planet's temperature
gravity (GRA vuh tea):
force that pulls things toward a star or planet
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H
habitat (HAB eh tat):
place where something lives
hatchling (HATCH ling):
young animal that has just come out of an egg
headdress (head dress):
head covering, often with special meaning
hematophagy (hem uh TOFF uh gee):
feeding on blood
herder (HER der):
a person who cares for groups, or herds, of livestock
hibernate (HY ber nate):
to spend the cold parts of the year resting and inactive
hoodoo (WHO do):
pole made of rock
host (rhymes with most):
plant or animal that is home to a parasite
hull (
rhymes with
dull):
main body of a boat
hurricane (HER uh cane):
huge, wet storm that builds over an ocean
hydroponics (hi dro PON ics):
growing plants in water instead of soil
hypothesis (hi POTH eh sis):
an idea that has not been proved
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I
immune system (uh MEWN sis tum):
parts of your body that fight sickness
impact crater (EM pact KRAY ter):
hole in the ground made by a space rock
impala (im PAL uh):
kind of African antelope
insect (in SEKT):
bug with six legs
island (EYE lind):
land surrounded by water
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J
juvenile (JEW vuh nile):
young animal between baby and adult
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K
katydid (katie DID):
bug that eats plants
kidnapper (KID nap er):
someone who steals a person
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L
larva (LAR vuh ):
stage between egg and adult for many insects
lava (LAH vuh):
melted rock
lava (LAH vuh):
melted rock
lava (LAH vah):
melted rock from a volcano
legend (LEDGE und):
story that is passed down
lemur (LEE mur):
monkey-like animal
livestock (LIV stawk):
animals raised and kept for food
longitude (LONG juh tood):
distance east or west of Greenwich, England
lunar rover (LOON er ROW ver):
buggy that travels on the moon
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M
magma (MAG muh):
melted rock
mammal (MAM uhl):
animal that feeds its young milk
mantid (man TID):
bug that eats other animals
mantle (MAN tl):
the layer of Earth under the crust
marine microfauna (mah REEN MY kro fawn uh):
tiny sea creatures
metamorphosis (met uh MOR fo sis):
body changes an animal goes through to become an adult
meteoroid (ME tea or ide):
small space rock
method (MEH th id):
a step-by-step plan to try to prove a hypothesis
migrate (MY grate):
move to another place
mint (rhymes with tint):
to make, or manufacture, coins
module (MAH jule):
unit that can be linked to other units
mosque (mahsk):
building used by Muslims for worship
mucus (MEW kus):
slimy substance made by an animal to wet or protect its body
mural (MUR ul):
painting on a wall
mutualism (MEW tchu al ism):
interaction that benefits both species
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N
natural resource (NACH uh rul REE sors):
something useful found in nature
navigational instruments (nav ih GAY shun ol IN strum ents):
tools to help people find their way
nectar (NECK ter):
sweet juice made by plants
nocturnal (nok TURN uhl):
active at night
nomad (NO mad):
person who does not live in one place all the time
nutrient (NEW tree unt):
a substance in food that a living thing needs to live and grow
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O
oarsman (ORZ muhn):
person who uses an oar to move a boat
observation (ob ser VAY shon):
the act of gathering information by looking at something closely
odonatologist (o doh NAH TAHL o gist):
scientist who studies dragonflies
offspring (OFF spr ih ng):
the young of a person, animal, or plant
omnivore (om ni VORE):
an animal that eats plants and meat
orbit (OR but):
to travel around an object in a circle
ore (rhymes with more):
substance mined for its value
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P
palace (PAL us):
home of a king or queen
palm tree (PALL hum tree (rhymes with see)):
tree with large leaves that grows in warm places
pectoral fin (pec TOR al fin):
fin on the side of a ray's body
photosynthesis (foe toe SIN thuh sus):
process by which plants use sunlight to make food
photosynthesis (foe toe SIN thuh sus):
the process by which plants use sunlight to make food
pilgrimage (PILL gruh medge):
journey to worship at a sacred place
pioneer (PIE oh near):
one of the first people to move to a new place
pitch (PIH tch):
the highness or lowness of a sound
planet (PLAN et):
large body in space
plate (rhymes with WAIT):
large piece of Earth's surface
population (pop you LA shun):
total number of plants or animals in a species
potter (POT er):
person who makes pots and dishes from clay
predator (PRED uh tor):
animal that eats other animals
prediction (pre DIC shon):
statement about what someone thinks might happen in the future
prey (rhymes with day):
animal that becomes food for another animal
pride (PRID):
a group of lions
proboscis (pro BOS cuss):
long, tube-like body part
producer (pro DOO ser):
a living thing that makes its own food
prospector (prah SPECK tor):
person who searches a place for gold or other valuable material
pupa (PEW pah):
final stage of a caterpillar; in butterflies, also called a chrysalis
pyramid (peer UH mid):
large building with a square bottom and triangular walls
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Q
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R
radar (RAY dar):
device that uses waves of energy to detect and map objects
rain forest (rane FOR rest):
wooded area that gets at least ten centimeters (four inches) of rain a month
range (rhymes with strange):
area of land in which a type of animal lives
recycle (re SIE kul):
use something again
refining (re FINE ing):
heating oil to separate it into different chemicals
rhinophore (RYE no for):
body part nudibranchs use to smell, feel, and taste
robot (ROW bot):
machine made to look and work like a human being
rotate (RO tayt):
to spin on an axis
ruin (ROO in):
what is left of an old building or city
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S
satellite image (SAT uh lite IM ij):
picture taken by a satellite
scale (rhymes with mail):
plate-like body part
scarlet macaw (SCAR let muh CAW):
kind of parrot
science fiction (SI unce FIC shon):
storytelling that combines science with made-up events
sea current (see CURR ent):
water moving in a steady direction
sediment (SED ih ment):
bits of soil and rock that have been moved from one place to another
shepherd (SHEP erd):
person who raises sheep
smog (rhymes with fog):
a mix of smoke and fog in the air
smoke signal (rhymes with choke SIG nul):
puff of smoke made by fanning a fire, used as a sign
solar panel (SOUL er PAN uhl):
tool that turns sunlight into electricity
solar system (SOLE er siss tem):
the sun and all that circles it
sound wave (SOW nd wave):
vibrations that carry sound
species (SPEE shees):
type of plant or animal
spine (spy nuh):
pin-like body part
squid (rhymes with kid):
long, thin sea creature with ten arms
star (rhymes with car):
ball of gas in space that can make heat and light
strike (rhymes with hike):
discovery of something valuable
supercell (SOUP er sell):
severe thunderstorm that can spin out tornadoes
supervolcano (SUE puhr vahl CANE o):
huge volcano
swim bladder (swim BLAH der):
body part that fills with air to help a fish rise
symbiotic relationship (sim bee AH tik rih LAY shun ship):
close link between two different kinds of things
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T
tectonic plate (tech TON ic plate):
huge, slow-moving piece of Earth's crust and upper mantle
telescope (TEL uh scope):
device used to study distant objects
temperature (TEMP er ah ture):
degree of hotness or coldness
temple (TEM pull):
building used for religion
tentacle (TEN tih kuhl):
thin, arm-like part sometimes used to catch food
termite (TERR my tuh):
bug that eats wood
territory (TEAR uh tor ee):
an animal's area
theory (rhymes with dreary):
statement explaining what scientists observe
thorax (THOR ax):
middle of an ant's body
tobacco (tuh BACK oh):
plant that people dry and smoke
tomb (rhymes with room):
place for the dead
tornado (tor NAY doh):
strong, spinning windstorm
trade route (rhymes with made, rhymes with suit):
path that people traveled to sell and buy goods
trade wind (trade wind):
constant wind that blows toward the Equator
trait (TRATE):
a characteristic
transform fault (TRANS form fault):
place where two of Earth's plates grind against each other
trek (rhymes with deck):
long hike
tribe (TRY buh):
a group of people with the same way of life
turbine (TER bine):
engine with parts that move by water, steam, or gas
tusk (rhymes with dusk):
large, horn-shaped tooth
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U
updraft (UP draft):
upward current of air
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V
vapor (VAY pour):
substance in the form of a gas
vehicle (VEE hick uhl):
machine in which people ride, such as a car, truck, or bus
vein (rhymes with pain):
1. blood vessel to the heart; 2. narrow layer of mineral that forms in the crack of a rock
vibrate (VI brate):
to quickly move back and forth
village (VIL idge):
small town
vision (VIZH uhn):
sense of sight, or seeing
visor (VYE ser):
shield on the front of a helmet that protects the face
volcanic island (vahl CAN eck EYE lind):
island made by a volcano
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W
weathering (WETH er ing):
when natural forces break rock into pieces
wind turbine (wind TUR byne):
windmill that makes electricty
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X
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Y
yak (rhymes with sack):
hairy ox that lives in Asia
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Z
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