Definitions

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

  • intransitive verb To make clear or plain, especially by explanation; clarify. synonym: explain.
  • intransitive verb To explain or clarify something.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make clear or manifest; throw light upon; explain; render intelligible; illustrate: as, an experiment may elucidate a theory.
  • Synonyms Expound, etc. (see explain); to unfold, clear up.

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

  • transitive verb To make clear or manifest; to render more intelligible; to illustrate.

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

  • verb To make clear; to clarify; to shed light upon.

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

  • verb make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear
  • verb make clear and (more) comprehensible

Etymologies

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

[Late Latin ēlūcidāre, ēlūcidāt- : Latin ē-, ex-, intensive pref.; see ex– + Latin lūcidus, bright (from lūcēre, to shine; see leuk- in Indo-European roots).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Late Latin elucidatus, past participle of elucidō ("clarify"), from Latin ex- and lucidus ("clear")

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Examples

  • Initially, I used the word elucidate above, as in elucidating mysteries.

    Archive 2008-07-01 Theodora Goss 2008

  • Initially, I used the word elucidate above, as in elucidating mysteries.

    Readercon: Beyond Competence Theodora Goss 2008

  • It comes from lux, light – to elucidate is to throw light on.

    Readercon: Beyond Competence Theodora Goss 2008

  • It comes from lux, light – to elucidate is to throw light on.

    Archive 2008-07-01 Theodora Goss 2008

  •   I'll sell more books, and have the opportunity to "elucidate" more people!

    The Nutty Professor 2009

  • One wonders if Amanda knows what the word "elucidate" means.

    Archive 2007-04-01 Ann Althouse 2007

  • Next morning, in a hired car, she had Castanado and Mme. Dubroca, Beloiseau and Mme. Alexandre, not merely show but, as the ironworker said, pinching forefinger and thumb together in the air, "elucidate" to her, for hours, the _vieux carré_.

    The Flower of the Chapdelaines George Washington Cable 1884

  • Vying for the award is limited to those who understand what "elucidate" means.

    Long Island Business News Products 2009

  • (to 'elucidate' means to explain in greater detail)

    Propeller Most Popular Stories LogicRules 2010

  • (to 'elucidate' means to explain in greater detail)

    Propeller Most Popular Stories LogicRules 2010

Comments

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  • verb: make clearer and easier to understand

    Youtube is great place to learn just about anything--an expert elucidates finer points so that even a complete novice can learn.

    October 19, 2016