Elicit

How to spell elicit

6 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce elicit

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does elicit mean?

1. verbTo draw out or bring forth a response, reaction, or piece of information from someone.

Elicit in a sentence

• The survey was designed to elicit honest feedback from employees.

• A skilled interviewer can elicit detailed answers from a nervous witness.

Where does elicit come from?

Language of origin: Latin

Elicit comes from the Latin verb elicere, meaning 'to draw out' or 'to lure forth', and specifically from its past participle elicitus. That verb was formed from the prefix ex-, meaning 'out', combined with lacere, a verb meaning 'to lure, entice, or deceive'. The same lacere root lies behind words like 'delight' and 'lace' (the snare or noose sense), all sharing the idea of drawing something toward you. English adopted elicit in the early 1600s, keeping the literal notion of coaxing something out into the open, whether a confession, a reaction, or information. The big spelling trap is its near-twin 'illicit', meaning unlawful; that word comes from a completely different Latin source, licere 'to be permitted', so the shared sound hides two unrelated roots. Remembering that elicit begins with e- for 'ex-, out' helps separate it from the il- of illicit.

How the word is built

• e- (from ex-: out)
• licit (from lacere: to lure, entice)