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EXPLANATION
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I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Thought that makes something comprehensible
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Hypernyms ("explanation" is a kind of...):
cerebration; intellection; mentation; thinking; thought; thought process (the process of using your mind to consider something carefully)
Meronyms (parts of "explanation"):
base; basis; cornerstone; foundation; fundament; groundwork (the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "explanation"):
interpretation; interpreting; rendering; rendition (an explanation of something that is not immediately obvious)
principle; rationale ((law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature))
key (something crucial for explaining)
rationalisation; rationalization (the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason)
theory (a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
Example:
I expected a brief account
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Hypernyms ("explanation" is a kind of...):
statement (a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc)
Meronyms (parts of "explanation"):
explanans ((logic) statements that explain the explicandum; the explanatory premises)
explanandum; explicandum ((logic) a statement of something (a fact or thing or expression) to be explained)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "explanation"):
walk-through (a thorough explanation (usually accompanied by a demonstration) of each step in a procedure or process)
interpretation (an explanation that results from interpreting something)
definition (a concise explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase or symbol)
derivation; deriving; etymologizing ((historical linguistics) an explanation of the historical origins of a word or phrase)
gloss; rubric (an explanation or definition of an obscure word in a text)
explication (a detailed explanation of the meaning of something)
exposition (an account that sets forth the meaning or intent of a writing or discourse)
justification (a statement in explanation of some action or belief)
reason (an explanation of the cause of some phenomenon)
accounting (a convincing explanation that reveals basic causes)
simplification (an explanation that omits superfluous details and reduces complexity)
Derivation:
explain (define)
Sense 3
Meaning:
The act of explaining; making something plain or intelligible
Example:
I heard his explanation of the accident
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Hypernyms ("explanation" is a kind of...):
speech act (the use of language to perform some act)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "explanation"):
elucidation (an act of explaining that serves to clear up and cast light on)
explication (the act of making clear or removing obscurity from the meaning of a word or symbol or expression etc.)
Derivation:
explain (serve as a reason or cause or justification of)
explain (make plain and comprehensible)
Context examples:
But I owe you no further explanation.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
A subjective answer indicating a strong preference for number explanations over word explanations.
(Always Prefer Numbers or Percentages, NCI Thesaurus)
The fundamental assumptions underlying an explanation or a relation that provide the foundation for something.
(Basis, NCI Thesaurus)
An explanation of the historical origins of a word, phrase, or object.
(Deriving, NCI Thesaurus)
A written explanation, observation or criticism added to textual material.
(Comment, NCI Thesaurus)
The explanation given as to why a clinical event was not assessed.
(Clinical Events Assessment Reason Not Done, NCI Thesaurus)
The discovery of past land and shallow seas now provides an explanation.
(Scientists return from expedition to lost continent of Zealandia, National Science Foundation)
The team studied samples from Martian meteorites and realized that an overabundance of rare metals — such as platinum, osmium and iridium — in the planet's mantle required an explanation.
(Ancient Asteroid Impact Explains Martian Geological Mysteries, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
One potential explanation of the Cow is that a star has been ripped apart in what astronomers call a "tidal disruption event."
(Mysterious Blast Studied with NASA Telescopes, NASA)
We have here the explanation of why John Straker wished to take the horse out on to the moor.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
