Dictionary

1elaborate

adjective elab·o·rate \i-ˈla-b(ə-)rət\

: made or done with great care or with much detail : having many parts that are carefully arranged or planned

Full Definition of ELABORATE

1
:  planned or carried out with great care <took elaborate precautions>
2
:  marked by complexity, fullness of detail, or ornateness <elaborate prose>
elab·o·rate·ly adverb
elab·o·rate·ness noun
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Examples of ELABORATE

  1. Jumping spiders, the largest family of spiders, have excellent eyesight and perform elaborate courtship and threat displays, often characterized by ritualized body postures and leg waving. —Simon Pollard, Natural History, March 1995

Origin of ELABORATE

Latin elaboratus, from past participle of elaborare to work out, acquire by labor, from e- + laborare to work — more at laboratory
First Known Use: 1592

2elaborate

verb elab·o·rate \i-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt\

: to give more details about something : to discuss something more fully

: to bring (something, such as an idea or a plan) to a more advanced or developed state

elab·o·rat·edelab·o·rat·ing

Full Definition of ELABORATE

transitive verb
1
:  to produce by labor
2
:  to build up (as complex organic compounds) from simple ingredients
3
:  to work out in detail :  develop <elaborate a theory>
intransitive verb
1
:  to become elaborate (see 1elaborate)
2
:  to expand something in detail <would you care to elaborate on that statement>
elab·o·ra·tion \-ˌla-bə-ˈrā-shən\ noun
elab·o·ra·tive \-ˈla-bə-ˌrā-tiv\ adjective

Examples of ELABORATE

  1. … the National Weather Service … advised all citizens in New Orleans's water-filled neighborhoods to take the necessary tools for survival. The Weather Service elaborated: Those going into attics should try to take an axe or hatchet with them so they can cut their way onto the roof to avoid drowning should rising flood waters continue to rise into the attic. —Christopher Cooper & Robert Block, Diaster, 2006

Origin of ELABORATE

(see 1elaborate)
First Known Use: 1611

Rhymes with ELABORATE

abbreviate, abominate, accelerate, accentuate, accommodate, acculturate, accumulate, adjudicate, adulterate, affiliate, agglomerate, alienate, alleviate, alliterate, amalgamate, ameliorate, amyl nitrate, annihilate, annunciate, anticipate, apostolate, appreciate, appropriate, approximate, arpeggiate, articulate, asphyxiate, assassinate, asseverate, assimilate, associate, at any rate, attenuate, authenticate, barbiturate, bicarbonate, calumniate, capacitate, capitulate, catholicate, certificate, coagulate, coelenterate, collaborate, commemorate, commiserate, communicate, compassionate, concatenate, conciliate, confabulate, confederate, conglomerate, congratulate, consolidate, contaminate, cooperate, coordinate, corroborate, deactivate, debilitate, decapitate, decelerate, decerebrate, deconcentrate, deconsecrate, decorticate, decrepitate, de-escalate, defibrinate, defoliate, degenerate, deliberate, delineate, demodulate, denominate, depopulate, depreciate, deracinate, deregulate, desegregate, desiderate, detoxicate, devaluate, diaconate, dilapidate, discriminate, disintegrate, disseminate, dissimulate, dissociate, domesticate, effectuate, ejaculate, electroplate, eliminate, elucidate, emaciate, emancipate, emasculate, encapsulate, enumerate, enunciate, episcopate, equivocate, eradicate, etiolate, evacuate, evaluate, evaporate, eventuate, eviscerate, exacerbate, exaggerate, exasperate, excited state, excogitate, excoriate, exfoliate, exhilarate, exonerate, expatiate, expatriate, expectorate, expostulate, expropriate, extenuate, exterminate, extrapolate, facilitate, felicitate, fish or cut bait, garrison state, gesticulate, habilitate, habituate, hallucinate, humiliate, hydrogenate, hypothecate, illuminate, impersonate, inactivate, inaugurate, incarcerate, incinerate, incorporate, incriminate, indoctrinate, inebriate, infatuate, infuriate, ingratiate, ingurgitate, initiate, inoculate, inseminate, insinuate, instantiate, intercalate, interpolate, interrelate, interrogate, intimidate, intoxicate, invalidate, investigate, invigorate, irradiate, Italianate, Korea Strait, lanceolate, legitimate, luxuriate, mandarinate, manipulate, matriarchate, matriculate, Merthiolate, necessitate, negotiate, noncandidate, obliterate, officiate, Orange Free State, orientate, originate, oxygenate, participate, particulate, patriarchate, patriciate, perambulate, peregrinate, perpetuate, pontificate, precipitate, predestinate, predominate, prefabricate, premeditate, preponderate, prevaricate, procrastinate, prognosticate, proliferate, propitiate, proportionate, quadruplicate, quintuplicate, reciprocate, recriminate, recuperate, redecorate, reduplicate, reeducate, refrigerate, regenerate, regurgitate, reincarnate, reintegrate, reiterate, rejuvenate, remunerate, repatriate, repudiate, resuscitate, retaliate, reticulate, revaluate, reverberate, scholasticate, second estate, self-flagellate, self-immolate, self-pollinate, seventy-eight, sextuplicate, Singapore Strait, sophisticate, subordinate, substantiate, syllabicate, tergiversate, transliterate, triangulate, vanity plate, variegate, vaticinate, vituperate, vociferate
ELABORATION Defined for Kids

1elaborate

adjective elab·o·rate \i-ˈla-bə-rət, -ˈla-brət\

Definition of ELABORATE for Kids

:  made or done with great care or with much detail <an elaborate ceremony>
elab·o·rate·ly adverb

2elaborate

verb elab·o·rate \i-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt\
elab·o·rat·edelab·o·rat·ing

Definition of ELABORATE for Kids

1
:  to give more details about <Would you elaborate on what happened?>
2
:  to work out in detail <He elaborated his ideas.>
Medical Dictionary

elaborate

transitive verb elab·o·rate \i-ˈlab-ə-ˌrāt\
elab·o·rat·edelab·o·rat·ing

Medical Definition of ELABORATE

of a living organism :  to alter the chemical makeup of (as a foodstuff) to one more suited to bodily needs (as of assimilation or excretion); especially :  to build up (complex organic compounds) from simple ingredients <the toxin elaborated by the tetanus bacterium>

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