Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Planned or executed with painstaking attention to numerous parts or details.
  • adjective Intricate and rich in detail.
  • intransitive verb To work out with care and detail; develop thoroughly.
  • intransitive verb To produce or compose (a substance, for example) from simpler elements.
  • intransitive verb To explain something at greater length or in greater detail.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Wrought with labor; finished with great care and nicety of detail; much studied; executed with exactness; highly finished: as, an elaborate discourse; an elaborate performance.
  • Synonyms Labored, perfected, highly wrought.
  • To produce with labor; work out; produce in general.
  • Specifically To improve or refine by successive operations; work out with great care; work up fully or perfectly.
  • To be or become elaborate; be elaborated.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Wrought with labor; finished with great care; studied; executed with exactness or painstaking
  • transitive verb To produce with labor.
  • transitive verb To perfect with painstaking; to improve or refine with labor and study, or by successive operations.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Highly complex, detailed, or sophisticated
  • adjective intricate, fancy, flashy, or showy
  • verb intransitive (used with on when used with an object) To give further detail or explanation (about).

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing
  • verb work out in detail
  • adjective marked by complexity and richness of detail
  • verb produce from basic elements or sources; change into a more developed product
  • adjective developed or executed with care and in minute detail
  • verb make more complex, intricate, or richer

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin ēlabōrātus, past participle of ēlabōrāre, to work out : ē-, ex-, intensive pref.; see ex– + labōrāre, to work (from labor, work).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

1575, from Late Latin ēlabōrātus ("worked out"), past participle of ēlabōrō ("to work out"), from ē- (ex-, "out, forth, fully") + labor ("work, toil, exertion"). More at e-, labour.

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Examples

  • Editors at "USA Today" say one of their former reporters engaged in what they call elaborate deception in a story claiming the Serb military ordered ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.

    CNN Transcript Jan 13, 2004 2004

  • Horrorfest brought them out in elaborate splendor.

    Inbred Jed 2009

  • But with Wizards owner Ted Leonsis introducing his team in elaborate fashion with a 3-D production and former owner Irene Pollin sitting in the front row, the team gave the 17,803 fans who came a memorable contest.

    A memorable home opener for Wall, Wizards Michael Lee 2010

  • Horrorfest brought them out in elaborate splendor.

    Inbred Jed 2009

  • It dealt, in elaborate detail, with one factor in the persistence of the established, namely, the capitalistic bias of the universities and common schools.

    Chapter 6: Adumbrations 2010

  • The boys got off to rough start when they came on stage in elaborate costumes and make up and Kimmel asked if they were "hit by Siegfried and Roy's tour bus."

    Tim & Eric Explain 'Chrimbus' Traditions On Kimmel (VIDEO) The Huffington Post News Team 2010

  • Mr. Rose's restaurant specializes in elaborate tasting menus, but soup is a favorite at home, where he lacks a staff of five and a dishwasher.

    Butternut Squash Soup Daniel Rose 2010

  • The boys got off to rough start when they came on stage in elaborate costumes and make up and Kimmel asked if they were "hit by Siegfried and Roy's tour bus."

    Tim & Eric Explain 'Chrimbus' Traditions On Kimmel (VIDEO) The Huffington Post News Team 2010

  • Actors, including University of Maryland theater students in elaborate makeup, scare visitors, but don't touch them.

    Dueling 'Field of Screams' Halloween venues pit Md. nonprofit against Pa. group Maria Glod 2010

  • There are two gentlemen who bring their reloads to the field in elaborate and ornate carrying cases which when opened reveal separate hull compartments, felt lined?!, and varying gizmos that that look more like some mad scientist's Doc bag from the 18th century.

    Confesssions of a Hull Ho 2008

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    June 7, 2011