Word
explanatory
Phoneticsex·plana·to·ry
US/ɪksˈpɫænəˌtɔɹi/
UK/ɛksplˈænətəɹˌi/
Definitions
01serving to explain
adj. intended to explain something so that it is easy to understand.
adj. serving to provide an explanation or to make something clear and understandable.
“The book includes several explanatory notes at the end of each chapter.”
“The museum provided explanatory placards alongside the artifacts to help visitors understand the historical context of the exhibition.”
Synonyms
02inclined to explain
adj. describing a person who likes to give reasons or details for their actions.
adj. disposed or inclined to offer explanations for one's behavior or beliefs.
“He was in an explanatory mood and talked for an hour about his decision.”
“The CEO adopted an explanatory tone during the press conference, attempting to justify the sudden shift in corporate strategy to the shareholders.”
Formal
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Late Latin explānātōrius, from Latin explānāt-, past-participle stem of explānāre (“to explain”). Displaced Old English ġereclīċ.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/explanatory