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explano

Etymology and origin of the Latin word explano

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Terence
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*pleh₂-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɛkˈspɫaː.noː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ekˈsplaː.no][1]

Forms

explānō (present infinitive explānāre, perfect active explānāvī, supine explānātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is formed from ex- and plānus “level, flat” with the verb ending -ō.[2][1] Plānus is *plāno-, from Proto-Indo-European *pl(e)h₂-nó- (“flattened”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Terence has “tell me, who is this man you say was your friend?”[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

Its literal sense, to spread out flat, is found in Pliny, of cork bark spreading out ten feet on every side.[2][5] Its usual sense was to make clear, expound or explain, as in Cicero.[2][6] It also meant to utter distinctly, as Seneca's speech of broken, indistinct words.[2]

Italian kept the literal sense in spianare.[1] English explain was borrowed in the early 15th century.[7]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it in the sense “to explain”.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of explaining.[6][4]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of spreading out flat.[2][4]
  • early 15th century – English explain is borrowed.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To spread out flat, flatten.[2][1]
  2. To make clear, explain, expound.[2][1]
  3. To utter distinctly.[2]

Word family

  • explānābilis
  • explānātiō
  • explānātor
  • inexplānātus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Explano.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/explano. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·