There are a number of terms that are used in connection with caves, caving and speleology. The following is an incomplete list.
A speleothem (cave formation) composed of long needle-like crystals situated in clusters which radiate outward from a common base.
A branch of biology dedicated to the study of organisms that live in caves and are collectively referred to as troglofauna.
A collection of large rocks or rubble that obstructs the passage of a cave or mine. In order to progress through passages, cavers often need to negotiate or clear boulder chokes.
A specialized land trust that primarily manages caves or karst features in the United States.
The practice of enlarging undiscovered cave openings to allow entry.
Recess, indentation, or cavity in the ceiling of a lava tube, a kind of cave formation.
A landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks.
Similar to karsts, but created by different mechanisms.
A highly specialized field of wilderness rescue in which injured, trapped or lost cave explorers are medically treated and extracted from various cave environments.
The point where water emerges from an aquifer.
A geological formation within a cave that has been created by the removal of bedrock, rather than as a secondary deposit.
The origin and development of caves, the primary process that determines essential features of the hydrogeology of karst and guides its evolution.
Geological formation by mineral deposits that accumulate over time in natural caves
Exploring caves as a hobby,[2] a synonym for caving
Small aquatic animals living in caves and aquifers.
A cave that is submerged under water. A sump may be static, with no inward or outward flow, or active, with continuous through-flow. Static sumps may also be connected underwater to active stream passage. When short in length, a sump may be called a duck.
Also known as harness hang syndrome (HHS), or orthostatic intolerance, is an effect which occurs when the human body is held upright without any movement for a period of time.
The point where water drains from the surface into a cave system.
An animal that lives entirely in the dark parts of caves
Small, non-aquatic cave-dwelling animals.