explication

noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"explication" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“explication” is an uncommon English word, ranked #79,502 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#79,502
frequency rank, English
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of opening or unfolding.

Key facts for explication
PropertyValue
Headwordexplication
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters11
Frequency rank#79,502
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “explication” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). explication lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for explication is 11 letters long, classified as a noun. Corpus data places it at rank #79,502 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for explication in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French explication, from Latin explicatio, explicationem. The correct English form is explication, spelled E-X-P-L-I-C-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of opening or unfolding.
  2. 2
    The act of explaining; an explanation.
  3. 3
    The sense given by an expositor.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French explication, from Latin explicatio, explicationem.

This word in other languages

Explikation(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "explication"?
"explication" is spelled E-X-P-L-I-C-A-T-I-O-N.
What does "explication" mean?
As a noun, "explication" means: The act of opening or unfolding.
What is the origin of the word "explication"?
Borrowed from Middle French explication, from Latin explicatio, explicationem. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “explication”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-X-P-L-I-C-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list