Definition
Elaborate things carry their labour on their surface — the word comes from the Latin elaborare, 'to work out'. An elaborate ceiling, an elaborate plan, an elaborate excuse: each is built from many deliberate parts, arranged with effort. As a verb (pronounced /-reɪt/), to elaborate is to add that detail in speech or writing — 'could you elaborate?' is an invitation to keep working the idea. The adjective admires the result; the verb requests the process.
Examples
- The palace ceilings are covered in elaborate gold patterns that took decades to complete.
- They devised an elaborate plan to smuggle the documents out of the archive.
- When the examiner asked her to elaborate, she gave two further examples.
Synonyms
intricate · ornate · detailed · complex · involved
In TOEFL & IELTS
The pronunciation split is the testable trap: adjective /ɪˈlæbərət/, verb /ɪˈlæbəreɪt/. Both exams literally ask you to do it — TOEFL speaking prompts and IELTS Part 3 follow-ups reward candidates who elaborate on their answers with reasons and examples. 'Elaborate on' takes the preposition; 'an elaborate system/ritual/scheme' are the core collocations.