Explicate
/ˈɛk.splɪ.keɪt/noun
To explain or make something clear by detailed analysis.
Did you know?Explicate comes from Latin explicare, originally meaning “to unfold” or “unroll,” so explanation began as physically opening something sealed shut.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*plek-
“to fold, weave, plait”
Latin
Latin
plicāre
“to fold, entwine, weave”
Latin
Latin
explicāre
“to unfold, unroll; to explain, make clear”
Old French
Old French
explicer
“to explain, interpret”
14th-15th Century
English
explicate
“to explain in detail, unfold the meaning of”