English
explanatory
Explanatory comes from Latin explanō ‘to explain’, from plānus ‘level, flat, even’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleh₂-‘flat’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pl̥h₂nósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*plānosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEplānus‘level, flat, even’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexplanōas explānāre, past-participle stem‘to explain’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexplānāt-
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEexplānātōrius
- Englishtodayexplanatory
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleh₂-‘flat’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pl̥h₂nósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*plānosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEplānus‘level, flat, even’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexplanōas explānāre, past-participle stem‘to explain’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexplānāt-
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEexplānātōrius
- Englishtodayexplanatory
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- ‘flat’
field, floor, palm, planet, clan, archipelago, fluke, parma, playa, placenta, flounder, lech, palatine, polonium, pelagic, implacable, placate, flay, veld, plantar, floe, purdah, planta, 48 more
through Proto-Italic *plānos
through Latin plānus ‘level, flat, even’
through Latin explanō ‘to explain’
Today it means
adj Intended to serve as an explanation.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- / explanatory