explanatory
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of explanatory
From the Late Latin word explānātōrius, dating back to 1610–20. See explain, -tory 1
Explanation
Use the adjective explanatory when you're talking about a clarification or an explanation. An abstract artwork in a gallery that consists of an old sneaker might require an explanatory note, for example. The Latin word explanare is at the root of explanatory, and its literal meaning is "to make level or to flatten." When you give an explanatory answer or make an explanatory speech, you are laying it all out — providing all the details your listener needs to understand. Anything that makes something more clear can be described as explanatory, like a footnote in a term paper or your apologetic list of reasons for being late to your best friend's party.
Vocabulary lists containing explanatory
Common Core Grades 7–8, List 4
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Common Core Grade 6, List 4
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Common Core Grades 9–10, List 4
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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.
They even delve into the explanatory notes of the Act to try to make their case.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
That changed under Alan Greenspan as officials began issuing somewhat more explanatory statements alongside their policy announcements.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
Shaffer succeeds in this regard, but the wordy play grows cumbersome in its final explanatory stages.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026
In fact, changes in expected inflation — either at the 12-month or 10-year horizons—have had even less explanatory power than changes in the CPI’s annual rate.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 12, 2026
I use the tip of my finger to draw explanatory lines in the air.
From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse
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.
