to make the meaning, facts, or details of something clear so that someone understands
The teacher explained the new rule to the class until everyone understood.
Could you explain how this app works to me?
✦ From Latin ‘explanare’ meaning ‘to make level’ or ‘make clear’, from ‘ex-’ (out) + ‘planus’ (flat, clear).
to be or give the reason for why something happens or exists
The broken fuse explains why the lights went out last night.
Thick fog explained the driver’s slow speed on the highway.
✦ Same Latin root as primary sense; the idea of ‘making clear’ extended to ‘making the cause clear’.
