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Added 8 October 2026

elucidate

/ɪˈl(j)uːsɪdeɪt/ verb

Latin root: ēlūcidātus Wiktionary

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about elucidate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Make clear and (more) comprehensible.
clarify the mystery surrounding her death
Make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear.
Could you clarify these remarks?

Origin

From Late Latin ēlūcidātus, perfect passive participle of ēlūcidō (“to lighten, enlighten”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ē(x)- (“out, from”) + lūcidus (“bright, clear, understandable”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix), literally “to make light of (something)”, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- (“bright; to see; to shine”). Compare French élucider.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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