clarify
pronunciation
How to pronounce clarify in British English:
UK [ˈklærəfaɪ]
How to pronounce clarify in American English:
US [ˈklærəfaɪ]
-
- Verb:
- make clear and (more) comprehensible
- make clear by removing impurities or solids, as by heating
Word Origin
- clarify (v.)
- early 14c., "make illustrious, make known," from Old French clarifiier "clarify, make clear, explain" (12c.), from Late Latin clarificare "to make clear," also "to glorify," from Latin clarificus "brilliant," from clarus "clear, distinct" (see clear (adj.)) + root of facere "to make, do" (see factitious). Meaning "make clear, purify" is from early 15c. in English; intransitive sense of "grow or become clear" is from 1590s. Figurative sense of "to free from obscurity" is from 1823. Related: Clarified; clarifying.
Example
- 1. Beijing should quickly clarify its approach to local-government debt .
- 2. These clarify some of the things that were worrying bosses .
- 3. In an attempt to clarify this contradiction , the researchers repeated the study .
- 4. The fate of sirte will help clarify what happens next .
- 5. This will help to clarify the learning contexts in which errors should be avoided or harnessed .