explicationvsexplicationsWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“explication” and “explications” are a confusable French pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#2,921
“explication” frequency rank
#4,329
“explications” frequency rank
7250
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature explication explications
Definition Discours par lequel on cherche à faire comprendre un texte, une idée ou une œuvre en ajoutant des renseignements supplémentaires ou en en exposant les détails ou les motifs. Pluriel de explication.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set explication and explications apart are highlighted. They share 11 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

11 ch
explication
12 ch
explications

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

explication and explications form a confusable pair in the French index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “explication” sits inside “explications” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 7250, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

explication is recorded at frequency rank #2,921, classified as anoun, pronounced \ɛks.pli.ka.sjɔ̃\. explications is at rank #4,329, tagged as anoun, pronounced \ɛks.pli.ka.sjɔ̃\.

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 7250, this pair ranks #423,718 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Frequency comparison

explication#2,921
explications#4,329

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "explication" and "explications" be used interchangeably?
No, "explication" and "explications" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering explication vs explications

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “explication” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

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

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