explanation

A2 Topic:Communication

US /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #2753

Meanings

1

noun
A statement that makes something clear or easy to understand.

The teacher gave a simple explanation of how volcanoes form.
2

noun
A reason given for why something happened.

An explanation for the strange noises was easily found.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a statement that makes... account clarification

Word family

Forms explanations

Derived forms counterexplanationexplainificationexplanationismexplanationistmisexplanationnonexplanationreexplanationsubexplanation

Related forms explain explanatoryexplicativeexplicatorexplicatory

Appears in

Phrases (2)

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Proverbs (1)

See all

Explanations don't explain

Etymology

From Latin explanatio (“an explanation, interpretation”), from explanare (“explain”); see explain. Morphologically explain + -ation. Displaced native Old English racu.

Topics

Communication

External links

# explanation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 2753

## Meanings
1. A statement that makes something clear or easy to understand.
2. A reason given for why something happened.

## Examples
- The teacher gave a simple explanation of how volcanoes form.
- An explanation for the strange noises was easily found.

## Derived Forms
- counterexplanation
- explainification
- explanationism
- explanationist
- misexplanation
- nonexplanation
- reexplanation
- subexplanation

## Related Forms
- explain
- explanatory
- explicative
- explicator
- explicatory

## Etymology
From Latin explanatio (“an explanation, interpretation”), from explanare (“explain”); see explain. Morphologically explain + -ation. Displaced native Old English racu.

## AI Etymology
Explanation comes from Latin explanatio (“an explanation, interpretation”), from explanare (“explain”); see explain. Morphologically explain + -ation. Displaced native Old English racu. In current use, the main senses are “A statement that makes something clear or easy to understand” and “A reason given for why something happened”.

## Topics
- Communication

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