Meanings
nounexplanation (countable and uncountable, plural explanations)
plural explanations · alternative explaination
- countableuncountableThe act or process of explaining.
The explanation was long and drawn-out.
Synonyms: clarification, elucidation, elaboration, explaining, explication, femsplaining, mansplaining, mansplanation
- countableuncountableSomething that explains or makes understandable.
An explanation for the UFO sightings was easily found.
1 more example
The socialist will, of course, see in this merely a proof that the more intelligent person is today bound to become a socialist. But this is far from being the necessary or even the most likely explanation.
1949, F. A. Hayek, “The Intellectuals and Socialism”, in University of Chicago Law Review, volume 16, number 3, Chicago: University of Chicago, →DOI, page 427 - countableuncountableA resolution of disputed points pursuant to discussion; a mutual clarification of disputed points; reconciliation.
This little explanation with Mr. Knightley gave Emma considerable pleasure.
1815, Jane Austen, Emma, volume III, chapter 3
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe act or process of explaining.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinexplanatio“an explanation, interpretation”
- Englishexplanation
From Latin explanatio (“an explanation, interpretation”), from explanare (“explain”); see explain. Morphologically explain + -ation. Displaced native Old English racu.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans verduideliking
- verduidelikingthe act or process of explaining
Ancient Greek ἐξήγησις, ἐξήγησις
- ἐξήγησις (exḗgēsis)the act or process of explaining
- ἐξήγησις (exḗgēsis)something that explains
Arabic تَفْسِير, شَرْح
- تَفْسِير (tafsīr)the act or process of explaining
- شَرْح (šarḥ)the act or process of explaining
- تَوْضِيح (tawḍīḥ)the act or process of explaining
- تَعْلِيل (taʕlīl)the act or process of explaining
- نِقَاش (niqāš)the act or process of explaining
- إِيضَاح (ʔīḍāḥ)the act or process of explaining
Basque azalpen
- azalpenthe act or process of explaining
Bengali ব্যাখ্যা
- ব্যাখ্যা (bêkkha)the act or process of explaining
Bulgarian обясне́ние, обясне́ние
- обясне́ние (objasnénie)the act or process of explaining
- обясне́ние (objasnénie)something that explains
- оправда́ние (opravdánie)reconciliation
Catalan explicació, explicació
- explicacióthe act or process of explaining
- explicaciósomething that explains
Chinese Cantonese 解釋 /解释, 說明 /说明
- 解釋 /解释 (gaai² sik¹)the act or process of explaining
- 說明 /说明 (syut³ ming⁴)the act or process of explaining
- 說明 /说明 (syut³ ming⁴)something that explains
Chinese Mandarin 解釋 /解释, 說明 /说明
- 解釋 /解释 (jiěshì)the act or process of explaining
- 說明 /说明 (shuōmíng)the act or process of explaining
- 說明 /说明 (shuōmíng)something that explains
Czech vysvětlení, objasnění
- vysvětleníthe act or process of explaining
- objasněníthe act or process of explaining
- vysvětlenísomething that explains
Danish forklaring, forklaring
- forklaringthe act or process of explaining
- forklaringsomething that explains
Dutch verklaring, toelichting
- verklaringthe act or process of explaining
- toelichtingthe act or process of explaining
- uitlegthe act or process of explaining
- verklaringsomething that explains
- uitlegsomething that explains
- uitvluchtreconciliation
- uitlegreconciliation
Esperanto klarigo, klarigo
- klarigothe act or process of explaining
- klarigosomething that explains
Estonian selgitus
- selgitusthe act or process of explaining
Finnish selittäminen, selitys
- selittäminenthe act or process of explaining
- selityssomething that explains
French explication, explication
- explicationthe act or process of explaining
- explicationsomething that explains
- explicationreconciliation
German Erläuterung, Erklärung
- Erläuterungthe act or process of explaining
- Erklärungthe act or process of explaining
- Ausführungthe act or process of explaining
- Erklärungsomething that explains
Greek εξήγηση, εξήγηση
- εξήγηση (exígisi)the act or process of explaining
- εξήγηση (exígisi)something that explains
- δικαιολογία (dikaiología)reconciliation
Hebrew הֶסבֵּר
- הֶסבֵּר (hesbér)the act or process of explaining
Hindi स्पष्टीकरण, समझाना
- स्पष्टीकरण (spaṣṭīkraṇ)the act or process of explaining
- समझाना (samjhānā)the act or process of explaining
- व्याख्या (vyākhyā)the act or process of explaining
- व्याख्या (vyākhyā)something that explains
- विवरण (vivraṇ)something that explains
Hungarian magyarázat, indoklás
- magyarázatthe act or process of explaining
- indoklásthe act or process of explaining
- kifejtésthe act or process of explaining
- értelmezésthe act or process of explaining
- magyarázatsomething that explains
- megfejtéssomething that explains
- tisztázásreconciliation
Icelandic útskýring, útskýring
- útskýringthe act or process of explaining
- útskýringsomething that explains
Indonesian penjelasan
- penjelasanthe act or process of explaining
Irish míniú, mínithe
- míniúthe act or process of explaining
- mínithethe act or process of explaining
Italian spiegazione, esplicazione
- spiegazionethe act or process of explaining
- esplicazionethe act or process of explaining
- chiarificazionethe act or process of explaining
- esegesithe act or process of explaining
Japanese 説明
- 説明 (setsumei)the act or process of explaining
Korean 설명
- 설명 (seolmyeong)the act or process of explaining
Latin explanatio, lux
- explanatiothe act or process of explaining
- luxthe act or process of explaining
Latvian skaidrojums
- skaidrojumsthe act or process of explaining
Lithuanian paaiškinimas
- paaiškinimasthe act or process of explaining
Norwegian Bokmål forklaring
- forklaringthe act or process of explaining
Polish objaśnienie, wyjaśnienie
- objaśnieniethe act or process of explaining
- wyjaśnieniethe act or process of explaining
- objaśnieniesomething that explains
- wyjaśnieniesomething that explains
- objaśnieniereconciliation
- wyjaśnieniereconciliation
Portuguese explicação, explanação
- explicaçãothe act or process of explaining
- explanaçãothe act or process of explaining
- explicaçãosomething that explains
- explanaçãosomething that explains
Romanian explicare, explicație
- explicarethe act or process of explaining
- explicațiesomething that explains
Russian объясне́ние, разъясне́ние
- объясне́ние (obʺjasnénije)the act or process of explaining
- разъясне́ние (razʺjasnénije)the act or process of explaining
- растолко́вывание (rastolkóvyvanije)the act or process of explaining
- объясне́ние (obʺjasnénije)something that explains
- оправда́ние (opravdánije)reconciliation
Scottish Gaelic soilleireachadh, mìneachadh
- soilleireachadhthe act or process of explaining
- mìneachadhthe act or process of explaining
Slovak vysvetlenie, objasnenie
- vysvetleniethe act or process of explaining
- objasneniethe act or process of explaining
Spanish explicación
- explicaciónthe act or process of explaining
Swedish förklaring
- förklaringthe act or process of explaining
Tagalog paliwanag
- paliwanagthe act or process of explaining
Thai การอธิบาย, การอธิบาย
- การอธิบาย (gaan-à-tí-baai)the act or process of explaining
- การอธิบาย (gaan-à-tí-baai)something that explains
Turkish açıklama, izah
- açıklamathe act or process of explaining
- izahsomething that explains
Ukrainian поя́снення, тлума́чення
- поя́снення (pojásnennja)the act or process of explaining
- тлума́чення (tlumáčennja)the act or process of explaining
- роз'я́снення (rozʺjásnennja)the act or process of explaining
- поя́снення (pojásnennja)something that explains
Urdu وَضاحَت, تَوضِیح
- وَضاحَت (vazāhat)the act or process of explaining
- تَوضِیح (tauzīh)the act or process of explaining
Welsh eglurhad
- eglurhadthe act or process of explaining
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with explanation
informationeducationlocationapplicationassociationadministrationorganizationcorporationregistrationAsianfoundationcommunicationpopulationnavigationstationaccommodationoperationpublicationvacationtransportationevaluationimplementationinstallationnation
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
explanation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/explanation
MLA
“explanation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/explanation. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “explanation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/explanation.
Source: explanation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.