Explanation

How to spell explanation

11 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce explanation

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does explanation mean?

1. nounA statement or account that makes something clear or understandable.

Explanation in a sentence

• The manager offered a clear explanation for the delayed payment.

• His explanation of the new tax rules helped the whole team.

Where does explanation come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin verb explanare, which literally meant 'to make level' or 'to flatten out', built from ex- 'out' and planus 'flat, even, plain'. The idea was that to explain something is to smooth it out so it becomes clear and easy to grasp, the same image that survives in the everyday word 'plain'. The Latin noun explanatio passed into English through Old French during the late 1300s, carrying the sense of a statement that makes a matter understandable. A useful spelling memory is hidden in that history: although the related verb 'explain' keeps its 'i', the noun follows the Latin planus and drops it, giving 'explanation' rather than the common misspelling 'explaination'. Recognising the buried 'plan' (the flat plain) helps fix the correct letters in mind.

How the word is built

• ex- (out)
• plan- (from Latin planus: flat, plain)
• -ation (noun suffix)