explanatory

adjective

ex·​plan·​a·​to·​ry ik-ˈspla-nə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce explanatory (audio)
: serving to explain
explanatory notes
explanatorily adverb

Examples of explanatory in a Sentence

There are explanatory notes at the front of the book. the explanatory section has as its heading “What the New Tax Changes Mean”
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The body language of Alexander-Arnold was such that Slot appeared briefly at his side to offer a few explanatory words. Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 25 Aug. 2024 Having lost his memory and, with it, some of this explanatory mediation, Craint shares something with a child negotiating the world for the first time. Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024 That’s monitored via a mobile app and a live camera feed, while passers-by are mollified by the cabin temperature shown on the car’s main display screen alongside an explanatory graphic. Jason Barlow, WIRED, 2 Nov. 2024 The National Energy Technology Laboratory has a good explanatory video of pre-combustion gasification technology. Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for explanatory 

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of explanatory was in 1600

Dictionary Entries Near explanatory

Cite this Entry

“Explanatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explanatory. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

explanatory

adjective
ex·​plan·​a·​to·​ry ik-ˈsplan-ə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce explanatory (audio)
-ˌtȯr-
: serving to explain
explanatory notes
explanatorily adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on explanatory

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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