explōrātĭo, ōnis, f. [exploro],
I an examination , exploration (post-Aug.): surculi, Col. 3, 9, 5: exploratione occulta fallere aliquem, Tac. H. 3, 54.—
II In partic., in milit. lang., a spying , Dig. 49, 16, 3.
explōrātiō ōnis, f exploro, an examination : occulta, Ta. ...
An Elementary Latin Dictionary