implicit
UK: ɪmˈplɪsɪt | US: ɪmˈplɪsɪt
adj. implied though not plainly expressed
adj. inherent in the nature of something
adj. (math) contained in the essential nature of an expression
Derived from Latin implicitus (past participle of implicare "to entangle, involve"), combining im- (variant of in- "in") + plicare "to fold." The morpheme plic (fold) reflects the idea of meaning being "folded into" a statement rather than stated outright. Over time, implicitus evolved in Late Latin to mean "involved, implied," and by the 1590s, English adopted it to describe unspoken but understood meanings. The root plic also appears in words like "complicate" (fold together) and "explicit" (folded outward).
The agreement contained implicit trust between the partners.
Her silence gave implicit consent to the proposal.
The poem’s implicit meaning required careful analysis.
There was an implicit criticism in his tone.
The rules were implicit in the contract’s wording.