ARTICULATE

I. adjective Etymology: Latin articulatus jointed, past participle of articulare, from articulus Date: 1586 1. divided into syllables or words meaningfully arranged ; intelligible , able to speak, expressing oneself readily, clearly, or effectively , 2. consisting of segments united by joints ; jointed , distinctly marked off, ~ly adverb ~ness noun II. verb (-lated; -lating) Date: 1551 transitive verb 1. to give clear and effective utterance to ; put into words , to utter distinctly , to give definition to (as a shape or object) , to give shape or expression to (as a theme or concept) , 2. to unite by or as if by means of a joint ; joint , to form or fit into a systematic whole , intransitive verb to utter ~ sounds, to become united or connected by or as if by a joint, articulative adjective articulator noun