explicit

[ ik-splis-it ]
/ ɪkˈsplɪs ɪt /

adjective

fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied; unequivocal: explicit instructions; an explicit act of violence; explicit language.
clearly developed or formulated: explicit knowledge; explicit belief.
definite and unreserved in expression; outspoken: He was quite explicit as to what he expected us to do for him.
described or shown in realistic detail: explicit sexual scenes.
having sexual acts or nudity clearly depicted: explicit movies; explicit books.
Mathematics. (of a function) having the dependent variable expressed directly in terms of the independent variables, as y = 3x + 4. Compare implicit(def 4).

Origin of explicit

1605–15; < Latin explicitus unfolded, set forth, variant past participle of explicāre. See explicate

OTHER WORDS FROM explicit

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH explicit

explicit implicit implied

Example sentences from the Web for explicitly

British Dictionary definitions for explicitly (1 of 2)

explicit 1
/ (ɪkˈsplɪsɪt) /

adjective

precisely and clearly expressed, leaving nothing to implication; fully stated explicit instructions
graphically detailed, leaving little to the imagination sexually explicit scenes
openly expressed without reservations; unreserved
maths (of a function) having an equation of the form y=f (x), in which y is expressed directly in terms of x, as in y=x 4 + x + z Compare implicit (def. 4)

Derived forms of explicit

explicitly, adverb explicitness, noun

Word Origin for explicit

C17: from Latin explicitus unfolded, from explicāre; see explicate

British Dictionary definitions for explicitly (2 of 2)

explicit 2
/ (ɪkˈsplɪsɪt) /

the end; an indication, used esp by medieval scribes, of the end of a book, part of a manuscript, etc

Word Origin for explicit

Late Latin, probably short for explicitus est liber the book is unfolded (or complete); shortened by analogy with incipit