Etymology and origin of the Latin word explicatus
explicatus1 clear, plain
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Derivation
- First attested
- 81–43 BC Cicero
- Ultimate origin
- Latin explicō
Etymology tree of explicatus1
From the same root · explicatus1
Pronunciation
Forms
explicātus (feminine explicāta, neuter explicātum, comparative explicātior); first and second declension[2]
Etymology
Used as an adjective, it is the past participle from Latin explicō (“to unfold; to set out, explain”).[2][3] The verb is formed from ex- and the stem of plicō (“to fold”); de Vaan explains the compounds in ⟨-plicāre⟩ as denominal verbs from Proto-Italic *-plek-ā-, with the simple verb formed back from them, and connects them with plectō1 (“to plait, twine”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-t-e/o- (“to plait, twine”).[4]
Earliest recorded meaning
Cicero uses it of matters set in order and made plain: he writes to Atticus that nothing could be clearer than his letter, quibus nihil potest esse explicatius.[5][3]
Semantic evolution
In Cicero it describes a province or a case that is well ordered and free of difficulty, and statements, letters and reasoning that are clear or settled.[5][6][7] Augustine still uses the superlative explicatissimus of very clear answers.[5][8]
Timeline
- 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for “well ordered” and “clear”.[5][9]
- 354–430 AD – Augustine has the superlative explicatissimus.[5][9]
Meanings
Adjective
explicatus2 unfolding, explanation
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Derivation
- First attested
- 81–43 BC Cicero
- Ultimate origin
- Latin explicō
Etymology tree of explicatus2
From the same root · explicatus2
Pronunciation
Forms
explicātus m (genitive explicātūs); fourth declension[1]
Etymology
The noun is formed from Latin explicō (“to unfold; to explain”) + -tus, a noun of action in the fourth declension.[2][3]
Earliest recorded meaning
Cicero has it in the plural for explanations: the nature of the gods, he says, would have difficult explanations, difficiles explicatus haberet.[3][5]
Semantic evolution
Besides the explanation of a subject, Pliny the Elder uses it in the literal sense of stretching out, of the alternate stretching of the legs.[3][5][8]
Timeline
- 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in the plural for explanations.[3][9]
- 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of stretching out the legs.[3][9]
Meanings
Noun
Usage notes
Both words belong to explico, whose other past participle is explicitus.[3][5]
References
- ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
- ^ a b Simpson, D. P. (1959), Cassell's New Latin Dictionary, London: Cassell
- ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T. (1890), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: American Book Company
- ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
- ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry
“Explicatus.” Etymologically, 7 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/explicatus. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.
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