explain

The story

1. Latin · derived fromexplanō“to flatten, spread out, make plain or clear, explain”
2. Old French · derived fromexplaner
3. Middle English · inherited fromexplanen
4. English todayexplain

From Middle English explanen, from Old French explaner, from Latin explanō (“to flatten, spread out, make plain or clear, explain”), from ex- (“out”) + planō (“to flatten, make level”), from planus (“level, plain”); see plain and plane. Compare esplanade, splanade. Displaced Old English reċċan.

Words from the same roots