explanation

explanation
explain VERB 1) make clear by giving a detailed description. 2) give a reason or justification for. 3) (explain oneself) excuse or justify one's motives or conduct. 4) (explain away) minimize the significance of (something awkward) by giving an excuse or justification.
DERIVATIVES explainable adjective explainer noun explanation noun.
ORIGIN Latin explanare, from planus 'plain' .

English terms dictionary. 2015.

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  • Explanation — Ex pla*na tion, n. [L. explanatio: cf. OF. esplanation.] 1. The act of explaining, expounding, or interpreting; the act of clearing from obscurity and making intelligible; as, the explanation of a passage in Scripture, or of a contract or treaty …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Explanation — (lat.), Erklärung, Erläuterung, Auslegung; explanatīv, erläuternd; explanieren, auslegen …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Explanation — Explanation, lat. dtsch., Erklärung; explanativ, erklärend; explaniren, erklären …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • explanation — I noun amplification, annotation, clarification, commentary, deciphering, defense, definition, delineation, demonstration, description, elucidation, enucleation, exegesis, exemplification, explanatio, explicatio, explication, exposition,… …   Law dictionary

  • explanation — (n.) late 14c., from L. explanationem (nom. explanatio), noun of action from pp. stem of explanare to make plain or clear, explain, lit. make level, flatten, from ex out (see EX (Cf. ex )) + planus flat (see PLANE (Cf. plane) (n …   Etymology dictionary

  • explanation — [n] clarification; reason account, annotation, answer, breakdown, brief, cause, comment, commentary, confession, definition, demonstration, description, details, display, elucidation, evidence, example, excuse, explication, exposition, expression …   New thesaurus

  • explanation — [eks΄plə nā′shən] n. [ME explanacioun < L explanatio < pp. of explanare] 1. the act of explaining 2. something that explains 3. the interpretation, meaning, or sense given in explaining 4. a mutual defining of terms, declaration of motives …   English World dictionary

  • explanation — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ convincing, credible, good, likely, logical, natural, obvious, plausible, probable, rational ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • explanation — n. 1) to give, offer, provide an explanation 2) to accept an explanation 3) a lucid; rational; satisfactory; simple; unsatisfactory explanation 4) an explanation for 5) an explanation that + clause (they accepted her explanation that she had been …   Combinatory dictionary

  • explanation */*/*/ — UK [ˌekspləˈneɪʃ(ə)n] / US noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms explanation : singular explanation plural explanations 1) a reason you give for something that has happened or something you have done I expected an explanation and an apology.… …   English dictionary

  • explanation — [[t]e̱kspləne͟ɪʃ(ə)n[/t]] ♦♦♦ explanations 1) N COUNT: also of/in N If you give an explanation of something that has happened, you give people reasons for it, especially in an attempt to justify it. She told the court she would give a full… …   English dictionary

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