Meaning

noun a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea

verb hollow out as if making a cave or opening

verb explore natural caves

originFrom Middle English cave, borrowed from Old French cave, from Latin cava (“cavity”), from cavus (“hollow”). Cognate with Tocharian B kor (“throat”), Albanian cup (“odd, uneven”), Ancient Greek κύαρ (kúar, “eye of needle, earhole”), Old Armenian սոր (sor, “hole”), Sanskrit शून्य (śūnya, “empty, barren, zero”). Displaced native Old English sċræf. More at cavum, cavus and cage.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0