ek-spluh-NAY-shun
Explanation is a statement or account that makes something clear by describing relevant details, reasons, or causes. It's the act of making something understandable by providing information about how or why something happens, works, or exists. Explanations bridge the gap between confusion and comprehension.
Yes. EXPLANATION is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 20 points in Scrabble, 24 in Words With Friends and 21 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | E | X | P | L | A | N | A | T | I | O | N | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 1 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 20 |
| Words With Friends | 1 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 24 |
| Wordfeud | 1 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21 |
An explanation is a statement, description, or account that clarifies something by providing relevant information, reasons, or causes. It serves to make something understandable, intelligible, or clear to someone who lacks knowledge or understanding about a particular subject, event, or phenomenon.
Explanations function as cognitive bridges, connecting what someone already knows to new information they're trying to understand. They can range from simple clarifications of word meanings to complex scientific theories that describe natural phenomena. The quality of an explanation is often judged by how effectively it reduces confusion and increases understanding.
In communication, explanations serve multiple purposes: they educate, justify, clarify, and interpret. A good explanation considers the audience's existing knowledge and builds upon it systematically. It may use examples, analogies, visual aids, or step-by-step breakdowns to convey complex ideas in accessible ways.
The word "explanation" derives from the Latin "explanatio," which comes from the verb "explanare" meaning "to make plain or clear." This Latin root combines "ex-" (out) + "planus" (flat, plain), literally suggesting the act of "flattening out" or "laying out flat" something that was previously folded or complex.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of EXPLANATION.
Hooks: no front hooks; back EXPLANATIONS.
Words inside EXPLANATION: 459 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: EXPLAINEXPLANTEXPLOITANATOXINLAXATIONPOLEAXEXPATOXALATEOXLIPPIXELALEXIAALEXIN. See all words from EXPLANATION.