explanatory
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- explanatively adverb
- explanatorily adverb
- nonexplanative adjective
- nonexplanatory adjective
- preexplanatory adjective
- unexplanatory adjective
Etymology
Origin of explanatory
From the Late Latin word explānātōrius, dating back to 1610–20. See explain, -tory 1
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.
To be sure, the predictor is not a short-term market-timing tool; its greatest explanatory power exists at the 10-year horizon.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 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 2016, he was part of a Journal team that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in explanatory reporting for a series of articles about rising prescription drug prices.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026
"We propose three explanatory hypotheses for discussion," says Güllich.
From Science Daily • Dec. 21, 2025
He could only guess what it might fully mean, even with the explanatory footnote.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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.
