Another word meaning explanation

Cite this Source

• APA
• MLA
• CMS

Other forms: explanations

An explanation is a statement about how or why something is the way it is. If you’re failing math, you’d better come up with a good explanation to give to your parents.

Explanation is from the same Latin word as explain: explanare, which means make clear. Because explanation and explain are so closely related, people often try to shoehorn an extra i into the spelling of explanation. Don’t. You might think that explanation has the odd spelling, but it is really the more regular of the two because there is no i in explanare.

Definitions of explanation

1. noun

   the act of explaining; making something plain or intelligible

   “I heard his
   explanation of the accident”

   see moresee less

   types:

   elucidation

   an act of explaining that serves to clear up and cast light on

   explication

   the act of making clear or removing obscurity from the meaning of a word or symbol or expression etc.

   type of:

   speech act

   the use of language to perform some act

2. noun

   a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.

   “the
   explanation was very simple”

   synonyms:

   account

   see moresee less

   types:

   show 34 types…

   hide 34 types…

   simplification

   an explanation that omits superfluous details and reduces complexity

   accounting

   a convincing explanation that reveals basic causes

   reason

   an explanation of the cause of some phenomenon

   justification

   a statement in explanation of some action or belief

   exposition

   an account that sets forth the meaning or intent of a writing or discourse

   explication

   a detailed explanation of the meaning of something

   gloss, rubric

   an explanation or definition of an obscure word in a text

   derivation, deriving, etymologizing

   (historical linguistics) an explanation of the historical origins of a word or phrase

   definition

   a concise explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase or symbol

   interpretation

   an explanation that results from interpreting something

   walk-through

   a thorough explanation (usually accompanied by a demonstration) of each step in a procedure or process

   oversimplification, simplism

   a simplification that goes too far (to the point of misrepresentation)

   cause, grounds, reason

   a justification for something existing or happening

   defence, defense, vindication

   the justification for some act or belief

   exposition, expounding

   a systematic interpretation or explanation (usually written) of a specific topic

   construal

   an interpretation of the meaning of something; the act of construing

   contextual definition

   a definition in which the term is used by embedding it in a larger expression containing its explanation

   dictionary definition

   a definition that reports the standard uses of a word or phrase or symbol

   explicit definition

   a definition that gives an exact equivalent of the term defined

   ostensive definition

   a definition that points out or exhibits instances of the term defined

   recursive definition

   (mathematics) a definition of a function from which values of the function can be calculated in a finite number of steps

   redefinition

   the act of giving a new definition

   stipulative definition

   a definition that is stipulated by someone and that is not a standard usage

   clarification, elucidation, illumination

   an interpretation that removes obstacles to understanding

   eisegesis

   personal interpretation of a text (especially of the Bible) using your own ideas

   exegesis

   an explanation or critical interpretation (especially of the Bible)

   ijtihad

   the endeavor of a Moslem scholar to derive a rule of divine law from the Koran and Hadith without relying on the views of other scholars; by the end of the 10th century theologians decided that debate on such matters would be closed and Muslim theology and law were frozen

   literal interpretation

   an interpretation based on the exact wording

   version

   an interpretation of a matter from a particular viewpoint

   reading

   a particular interpretation or performance

   construction, twist

   an interpretation of a text or action

   reconstruction

   an interpretation formed by piecing together bits of evidence

   popularisation, popularization

   an interpretation that easily understandable and acceptable

   misinterpretation, mistaking, misunderstanding

   putting the wrong interpretation on

   type of:

   statement

   a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc

3. noun

   thought that makes something comprehensible

   see moresee less

   types:

   show 18 types…

   hide 18 types…

   interpretation, interpreting, rendering, rendition

   an explanation of something that is not immediately obvious

   principle, rationale

   (law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature)

   key

   something crucial for explaining

   rationalisation, rationalization

   the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason

   theory

   a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena

   broad interpretation, judicial activism

   an interpretation of the U.S. constitution holding that the spirit of the times and the needs of the nation can legitimately influence judicial decisions (particularly decisions of the Supreme Court)

   reductionism

   a theory that all complex systems can be completely understood in terms of their components

   raison d’etre

   the reason why something exists

   blastogenesis

   theory that inherited characteristics are transmitted by germ plasm

   preformation, theory of preformation

   a theory (popular in the 18th century and now discredited) that an individual develops by simple enlargement of a tiny fully formed organism (a homunculus) that exists in the germ cell

   scientific theory

   a theory that explains scientific observations

   field theory

   (physics) a theory that explains a physical phenomenon in terms of a field and the manner in which it interacts with matter or with other fields

   economic theory

   (economics) a theory of commercial activities (such as the production and consumption of goods)

   atomic theory, atomism, atomist theory, atomistic theory

   (chemistry) any theory in which all matter is composed of tiny discrete finite indivisible indestructible particles

   holism, holistic theory

   the theory that the parts of any whole cannot exist and cannot be understood except in their relation to the whole

   dialectics

   a rationale for dialectical materialism based on change through the conflict of opposing forces

   structural sociology, structuralism

   a sociological theory based on the premise that society comes before individuals

   structural anthropology, structuralism

   an anthropological theory that there are unobservable social structures that generate observable social phenomena

   type of:

   cerebration, intellection, mentation, thinking, thought, thought process

   the process of using your mind to consider something carefully