articulated

American  

[ahr-tik-yuh-ley-tid] / ɑrˈtɪk yəˌleɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. made clear or distinct.

   articulated sounds.

2. having a joint or joints; jointed.

   an articulated appendage.

3. (of a vehicle) built in sections that are hinged or otherwise connected so as to allow flexibility of movement.

   an articulated bus; an articulated locomotive.

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Other Word Forms

• multiarticulated
  adjective
• unarticulated
  adjective
• well-articulated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of articulated

First recorded in 1545–55; articulate + -ed ²

Explanation

Something is articulated if it's made of sections connected by joints. Articulated limbs have bones that bend where they join, at an elbow or a wrist for example. Human bodies are full of articulated sections, with joints at the knees, hips, shoulders, and so on. You can also describe an object as articulated if it's made up of pieces that connect in flexible segments. A long train can be composed of articulated cars. Articulated comes from the verb articulate, "to divide into distinct parts," from the Latin articulare, "separate into joints," and the Latin root articulus, "joint."

Example Sentences

Suozzi met with dissidents the day before his remarks at the Salvadoran National Prayer Breakfast but doesn’t appear to have articulated their concerns publicly.

From Salon • May 29, 2026

In a section headed “The Global Appeal of Blue-and-White Ceramics,” a long display case houses a timeline articulated sculpturally.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

And Nasa has at last articulated a credible plan to build on this moment rather than wait three years and start again.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Finally, plaintiffs articulated the flaw in social media correctly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

What were Mary's problems anyway; who "articulated her grievances," as the redheaded man had put it?

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

Related Words

• articulate
• choral
• operatic
• verbal