élucidons

Élucidons is the first-person plural form of the French verb élucider, functioning in written French as either the present indicative "we elucidate" or, more commonly as a hortative imperative "let us elucidate." In the latter sense, it serves as a rhetorical invitation to clarify or examine a point. The form is identical to the ordinary indicative nous élucidons; context and punctuation typically distinguish mood.

Origin and meaning: from Latin elucidare, to make plain; related to English elucidate. The verb means to make something clear by explaining or exposing its underlying aspects, often by removing obscurity or ambiguity. It is used in academic writing, journalism, and philosophy to introduce a clarifying step.

Usage notes: The imperative sense is common in editorial and argumentative texts where the author invites readers to consider a sequence of reasoning. Examples: "Élucidons les mécanismes à l'œuvre," "Élucidons ce paradoxe." The noun form in French is l'élucidation, and "élucidation" appears in French dictionaries with a similar sense, though less frequent than "clarification" or "éclaircissement."

See also: élucider, élucidation, clarification, éclaircissement.