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Elaborate vs Thorough - What's the difference?

elaborate | thorough |

As adjectives the difference between elaborate and thorough

is that elaborate is highly complex, detailed, or sophisticated while thorough is painstaking and careful not to miss or omit any detail.

As a verb elaborate

is (used with on when used with an object) To give further detail or explanation (about).

As a preposition thorough is

through.

As a noun thorough is

a furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water.

elaborate

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Highly complex, detailed, or sophisticated.
  • :
  • Intricate, fancy, flashy, or showy.
  • :
  • *
  • *:The house was a big elaborate limestone affair, evidently new. Winter sunshine sparkled on lace-hung casement, on glass marquise, and the burnished bronze foliations of grille and door.

    • Verb

    (elaborat)
  • (used with'' on ''when used with an object ) To give further detail or explanation (about).
    • What do you mean you didn't come home last night? Would you care to elaborate ?
    Could you elaborate on the plot for your novel for me?

    thorough

    English

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    * thoro

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • painstaking and careful not to miss or omit any detail
    • The Prime Minister announced a thorough investigation into the death of a father of two in police custody.
    He is the most thorough worker I have ever seen.
    The infested house needs a thorough cleansing before it will be inhabitable.
  • utter; complete; absolute
    • It is a thorough pleasure to see him beg for mercy.
    Derived terms
    * thoroughbred * thoroughgoing * thoroughly

    Etymology 2

    A disyllabic form of (etyl) .

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • (obsolete) Through.
  • * , II.xii:
    • Ye might haue seene the frothy billowes fry / Vnder the ship, as thorough them she went [...].
  • * 1599 , , V. i. 109:
    • You are contented to be led in triumph / Thorough the streets of Rome?

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (UK, dialect) A furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water.
    • (Halliwell)