elucidate

C2+ Topic:Cause, Change & Process

US /ɪˈlusɪdeɪt/ UK /ɪˈluːsɪdeɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to make something clear by explanation

The professor paused to elucidate the more abstruse points of the theory.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to make something clear by... clarify explain illuminate expound clear explicate

Opposites

obscure confuse obfuscate muddle

Word family

Derived forms elucidationelucidatorelucidative

Related forms lucid lucidity translucent

Etymology

From Late Latin elucidatus, past participle of elucidare ('to make clear, throw light upon'), from e- ('out') + lucidus ('bright, clear'), from lucere ('to shine').

elucidare Late Latin lucidus Latin *lewk- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Cause, Change & Process Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# elucidate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪˈlusɪdeɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˈluːsɪdeɪt/

## Meanings
1. to make something clear by explanation

## Examples
- The professor paused to elucidate the more abstruse points of the theory.

## Synonyms
- clarify
- explain
- illuminate
- expound
- clear
- explicate

## Antonyms
- obscure
- confuse
- obfuscate
- muddle

## Derived Forms
- elucidation
- elucidator
- elucidative

## Related Forms
- lucid
- lucidity
- translucent

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: elucidare
- Root: lucidus
- Root: *lewk-

## Etymology
From Late Latin elucidatus, past participle of elucidare ('to make clear, throw light upon'), from e- ('out') + lucidus ('bright, clear'), from lucere ('to shine').

## AI Etymology
Elucidate is from Late Latin elucidatus, past participle of elucidare ('to make clear, throw light upon'), from e- ('out') + lucidus ('bright, clear'), from lucere ('to shine'). Important recorded forms include elucidare (Late Latin), lucidus (Latin), and *lewk- (Proto-Indo-European). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers to make something clear by explanation. The wider family includes derived forms such as elucidation, elucidator, and elucidative and related words such as lucid, lucidity, and translucent.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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