elaborate

Elaborate is a word with both adjective and verb uses. As an adjective, it describes something that is highly detailed, complex, or ornate, often implying careful planning or decoration. As a verb, to elaborate means to develop something in detail, to add information or explanation, or to expand an idea beyond its original form. The corresponding noun form is elaboration.

The word comes from Latin elaborare, meaning to work out or to bring forth by labor. Its meanings evolved from the sense of producing or refining something through careful effort, and in English the verb sense to elaborate on or to elaborate a plan has long been common, as has the use of elaborate to describe intricate objects or designs.

Usage notes: elaborate is commonly used to describe both tangible and abstract things, such as elaborate machinery, an elaborate plot, or an elaborate explanation. The phrase elaborate on is a standard way to request or provide more detail about a point or proposal, as in elaborating on a plan. In writing and speech, elaborate can function as a strong descriptor (the design is elaborate) or as a verb meaning to flesh out details (to elaborate the procedure). Related forms include elaboration and elaborately.

See also: elaboration, elaborately.