explanatory

[ ik-splan-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]
See synonyms for explanatory on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. serving to explain: an explanatory footnote.

Origin of explanatory

1
From the Late Latin word explānātōrius, dating back to 1610–20. See explain, -tory1
  • Sometimes ex·plan·a·tive [ik-splan-uh-tiv] /ɪkˈsplæn ə tɪv/ .

Other words from explanatory

  • ex·plan·a·to·ri·ly, ex·plan·a·tive·ly, adverb
  • non·ex·plan·a·tive, adjective
  • non·ex·plan·a·to·ry, adjective
  • pre·ex·plan·a·to·ry, adjective
  • un·ex·plan·a·to·ry, adjective

Words Nearby explanatory

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use explanatory in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for explanatory

explanatory

explanative

/ (ɪkˈsplænətərɪ, -trɪ) /


adjective
  1. serving or intended to serve as an explanation

Derived forms of explanatory

  • explanatorily, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012