explicate

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: ex=pli=cate

CIDE DICTIONARY

explicate, a. [L. explicatus, p. p. of explicare.].

 Evolved; unfolded.  Jer. Taylor.  [1913 Webster]

explicate, v. t. 

•  To unfold; to expand; to lay open.  Blackmore.  [1913 Webster]
•  To unfold the meaning or sense of; to explain; to clear of difficulties or obscurity; to interpret.  [1913 Webster]

  "The last verse of his last satire is not yet sufficiently explicated."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

explicate, v.tr.
1 develop the meaning or implication of (an idea, principle, etc.).
2 make clear, explain (esp. a literary text).

Derivative

explication n. explicative adj. explicator n. explicatory adj.

Etymology

L explicare explicat- unfold (as EX-(1), plicare plicat- or plicit- fold)

THESAURUS

explicate

account for, allegorize, amplify, clarify, clear up, construe, crack, decipher, demonstrate, demythologize, descant, detail, develop, dilate, elaborate, elucidate, enlarge, enlarge upon, enlighten, euhemerize, evolve, exemplify, expand, expatiate, explain, explain away, exposit, expound, get across, get over, give reason for, give the meaning, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, make clear, make it clear, make plain, particularize, popularize, put across, put over, rationalize, rehearse in extenso, relate at large, shed light upon, show, show how, show the way, simplify, solve, spell out, throw light upon, unfold, unlock, unravel, vulgarize, work out