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Elucidate vs Elaborate - What's the difference?

elucidate | elaborate |

As verbs the difference between elucidate and elaborate

is that elucidate is to make clear; to clarify; to shed light upon while elaborate is (used with on when used with an object) To give further detail or explanation (about).

As an adjective elaborate is

highly complex, detailed, or sophisticated.

elucidate

English

Verb

(elucidat)
  • To make clear; to clarify; to shed light upon.
  • * 1817 , , Northanger Abbey , ch. 13:
    • The business, however, though not perfectly elucidated by this speech, soon ceased to be a puzzle.
  • * 1960 , " Medicine: Unmasking the Brain," Time , 4 April:
    • [P]hysicians at the annual meeting of the American Academy of General Practice were fascinated by a 3-ft. model showing the brain's components in 20 layers of translucent plastic, and wired for colored lights to elucidate some of its workings.
  • * 2004 , David Bernstein, “ Philosophy Hitches a Ride With ‘The Sopranos’,” New York Times , 13 April (retrieved 19 Aug. 2009):
    • The new Sopranos volume has 17 essays that examine the television show and elucidate concepts from classical philosophers, including Aristotle, Machiavelli, Nietzsche, Sun Tzu and Plato.

    Synonyms

    * explicate, illuminate

    Derived terms

    * elucidation * elucidative * elucidator * elucidatory

    Related terms

    * lucid * lucidity

    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?