Foundation level · Year 4 · free
explain
verb · Say it: ik-SPLAYN
What it means
Foundationto make something clear by describing it or giving reasons
Our teacher explained how to divide fractions using pictures on the whiteboard.
Similar and opposite words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- clarify
- describe
- make clear
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- confuse
More examples
- Can you explain why your homework is late, Oliver?
Where the word comes from
It comes from Latin 'explanare', meaning to make flat or plain.
Try a quick question
One question about “explain”, the way 11+ papers ask it (Foundation level).