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explanatory

explanatory

28 3.8
Helps make something clear or easy to understand
  • adjective
  • /ɪkˈsplænəˌtɔri/
translation icon : explicativo
  • So there is a trouble, right, with his explanatory model, right?
  • explanatory variables
  • explanatory capability
  • explanatory power

So art is not self-explanatory in some sense.

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Examples

  • The analysis drew on various explanatory literatures, but did not employ a particular theoretical framework.

    Academic text (1990)
  • With respect to every explanatory pattern, we should raise the following three questions:

    Academic text (1991)
  • So one thing one can say is just appeal to the explanatory gap itself.

  • Reasons for the low explanatory power need to be checked across other studies.

    Academic text (1999)
  • In most areas of medicine, biological measures limit the explanatory spread of ideas.

  • Usually we take probabilistic claims to be explanatory of certain things.

  • And these explanatory frameworks work beautifully, I think.

  • There is no good explanatory data suggesting why non REM sleep always comes first and REM sleep comes second.

  • The present research uses gender, type of residential community, and school religiosity as explanatory factors for the different adolescent characteristics.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The teacher provided an explanatory guide to help students understand the complex topic.

Synonyms

illustrative
vsexplanatory
20 4.6

Showing examples or pictures to make an idea clear

focuses on verbal clarity rather than using visual examples
expository
vsexplanatory
3 7.0

Writing that explains facts or ideas clearly

is the general term focusing on explanation rather than presentation
expositional
vsexplanatory
1 6.9

Used to explain information or ideas clearly, for example in a lesson

is plain explanation rather than the presentation or format
explicatory
vsexplanatory
7.1

Helping someone understand something clearly

is the common general term rather than this variant
elucidative
vsexplanatory
  • Formal
7.5

Making something clear and easy to understand

is the broader everyday expression rather than this term
expositive
vsexplanatory
8.1

To give clear information that explains something

is the broad term for explaining rather than this presentation style
elaborative
vsexplanatory
6.1

Giving extra detail to make an idea clearer

focuses on simple explanation rather than adding extra detail
illustrational
vsexplanatory
6.7

Helps explain something using pictures or examples

relies on words alone rather than examples or images

How Clear

clear
1.0
clarifying
1 3.3
explanatory
28 3.8
unclear
207 3.9
obscure
28 8.2

Surface Forms

explanatory positive

Morphology

explanatory = explanation (transparent) = explain + explanation + atory

The adjective is a regular derivation from the verb/noun 'explain'/'explanation' meaning 'serving to explain'; learners who know the base will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The word explanatory comes from the Latin parts ex- 'out' and planare 'to make level', and it is the same root as the everyday words explain and plain. So, something explanatory helps 'make things clear' by 'leveling' an idea so others can understand.