verb , adjective
■ verb / ɑːˈtɪkjuleɪt; NAmE ɑːrˈt-/
1.
[ vn ] ( formal ) to express or explain your thoughts or feelings clearly in words :
She struggled to articulate her thoughts.
2.
to speak, pronounce or play sth in a clear way :
[ v ]
He was too drunk to articulate properly.
[ vn ]
Every note was carefully articulated.
[also v speech ]
3.
[ v ] articulate (with sth) ( formal ) to be related to sth so that together the two parts form a whole :
[ v ]
These courses are designed to articulate with university degrees.
4.
( technical ) articulate (with sth) to be joined to sth else by a joint, so that movement is possible; to join sth in this way :
[ v ]
bones that articulate with others
[ vn ]
a robot with articulated limbs
■ adjective / ɑːˈtɪkjələt; NAmE ɑːrˈt-/
1.
( of a person ) good at expressing ideas or feelings clearly in words
2.
( of speech ) clearly expressed or pronounced :
All we could hear were loud sobs, but no articulate words.
OPP inarticulate
► ar·ticu·late·ly adverb
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: from Latin articulatus , past participle of articulare divide into joints, utter distinctly, from articulus small connecting part, diminutive of artus joint.