expatiate
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to enlarge in discourse or writing; be copious in description or discussion.
to expatiate upon a theme.
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Archaic. to move or wander about intellectually, imaginatively, etc., without restraint.
verb
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to enlarge (on a theme, topic, etc) at length or in detail; elaborate (on)
-
rare to wander about
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of expatiate
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin expatiātus, past participle of ex(s)patiārī “to wander, digress,” equivalent to ex- “from, out of, beyond” + spatiārī “to walk about,” derivative of spatium “area, space, playing field, racetrack”; see -ate 1
Explanation
The verb expatiate means "to add details to in order to clear up." If your story is confusing to everyone who hears it, certain key parts must be missing. Better expatiate so that people can understand it. To pronounce expatiate correctly, accent the second syllable: "ex-PAY-she-ate." When you expatiate on a piece of writing, you add details. The goal is to make your ideas clearer to readers, perhaps by offering an example to help them understand. Teachers can tell when you are expatiating and when you are just adding to what you've written, say, to reach a certain length requirement. That's usually called "padding."
Vocabulary lists containing expatiate
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s all there in the Reuters reporting, and there is no need to expatiate on the obvious immorality of the operation, quite apart from its colossal stupidity.
From Salon • Aug. 3, 2024
Do not be afraid to expatiate on all the ways you are a bigger person — there are probably lots!
From Washington Post • Jul. 23, 2020
We took long walks in the botanical garden in the Bronx, where he could expatiate on every species of fern.
From The Guardian • Mar. 26, 2017
Did Mr. Isherwood also see these plays and respond similarly? — drjp1025, Los Angeles Ben Brantley: I said pretty much what I wanted to say in those reviews, though you can always expatiate, I suppose.
From New York Times • May 2, 2013
It was suddenly cool to know stuff, to expatiate on the causes of the Spanish Civil War.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
