explicate
UK: /ˈɛksplɪkeɪt/ | US: /ˈɛksplɪˌkeɪt/
vt. to analyze or develop something (e.g., an idea, theory) in detail
vt. to make clear the meaning of something; interpret
explicate = ex<out> + plic<fold> + ate<verb suffix>
- ex (Latin: "out") → Indicates outward action or removal.
- plic (Latin: "fold") → Refers to folding or layering, metaphorically extended to complexity.
- ate (verb-forming suffix) → Turns the root into an action verb.
Etymology Origin:
Derived from Latin explicāre ("to unfold, explain"), explicate literally means "to fold out." The imagery suggests unraveling something folded (like a tangled idea) to reveal clarity. Over time, it shifted from physical unfolding (e.g., unrolling a scroll) to abstract interpretation (e.g., explaining a theory).
The professor asked us to explicate the poem’s hidden symbolism.
Philosophers often explicate complex concepts through analogies.
The manual explicates each step of the installation process.
Her essay brilliantly explicates the novel’s themes.
Scientists must explicate their findings for a general audience.