Explanatio

Explanatio is a Latin noun that denotes explanation, explication, or elucidation. In scholarly usage, the term is used to refer to an explanatory gloss, note, or demonstration attached to a text to clarify its meaning, terms, or arguments. While not a modern technical term with a fixed definition in every field, explanatio can function as a general label for passages designed to illuminate difficult passages or concepts.

Etymology and relation to related terms

The word derives from Latin roots connected with making something clear. Related Latin forms include explicatio (explication) and explanare (to unfold or explain). In practice, explanatio may be used interchangeably with explicatio in medieval and early modern Latin texts, though explicatio is more common in some traditions. Both forms signal an attempt to render content more intelligible to readers.

Historical usage

In medieval scholasticism and Renaissance humanism, glosses, glossae, and explicatio-like notes frequently accompanied core texts. Explanatio passages served to unpack obscure terms, summarize arguments, or translate technical phrases into more accessible language. Scribes and commentators often organized their explanations as a distinct section or marginal note, enabling readers to follow complex scholastic logic or legal definitions more easily.

Modern usage

In contemporary classical philology, linguistics, and the study of Latin literature, explanatio appears as a descriptive label for an explanatory note or commentary appended to a text. While the term is less common as a fixed category in modern editions, editors may use it to indicate passages that provide clarification, paraphrase, or interpretive insight for readers encountering difficult passages.

See also: explication, gloss, commentary, annotation.