v.
Pronunciation: ' ek-spl ə - ˌ k ā t
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form: -cat · ed ; -cat · ing
Etymology: Latin explicatus, past participle of explicare, literally, to unfold, from ex- + plicare to fold ― more at PLY
Date: 1531
1 : to give a detailed explanation of
2 : to develop the implications of : analyze logically
synonyms see EXPLAIN
– ex · pli · ca · tion \ ˌ ek-spl ə - ' k ā -sh ə n \ noun
– ex · pli · ca · tor \ ' ek-spl ə - ˌ k ā -t ə r \ noun