Wordwyrt

explain

/ɪkspˈleɪn/ik-SPLAYN
/ɪkspˈleɪn/ik-SPLAYN

Meaningto make plain

Common meaning: to make clear

‘out’ + ‘flat, level’ → explain

Journey through time

  1. Latinplānus‘flat, level’
  2. Old Frenchexplanersource
  3. Englishexplain‘to make clear’ · today

ex- also in: exitexactexaltexertexpel

plain also in: plainplaneesplanade

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin plānus ‘flat, level; clear’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry plānus, p. 1384 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • plānus Latin “flat, level; clear”

Related words

esplanadeplainplane

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