I. i-ˈla-b(ə-)rət adjective
Etymology: Latin elaboratus, from past participle of elaborare to work out, acquire by labor, from e- + laborare to work — more at laboratory
Date: 1592
1. : planned or carried out with great care
took elaborate precautions
2. : marked by complexity, fullness of detail, or ornateness
elaborate prose
• elab·o·rate·ly adverb
• elab·o·rate·ness noun
II. i-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt verb
( -rat·ed ; -rat·ing )
Date: 1611
transitive verb
1. : to produce by labor
2. : to build up (as complex organic compounds) from simple ingredients
3. : to work out in detail : develop
elaborate a theory
intransitive verb
1. : to become elaborate
2. : to expand something in detail
would you care to elaborate on that statement
• elab·o·ra·tion -ˌla-bə-ˈrā-shən noun
• elab·o·ra·tive -ˈla-bə-ˌrā-tiv adjective