Where does “explanatory” come from?

Explanatory comes from Middle English explanen, from Old French explaner, from Latin explano meaning "to flatten out," from ex- "out" and πλάνος, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European eǵ-.

explanatory (English): Intended to serve as an explanation; Disposed to...

Definitions

  1. Intended to serve as an explanation; Disposed to...

Ancestry of “explanatory”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishexplanen—
2Old Frenchexplaner—
3Latinexplanōto flatten or spread out
4Latinplanō—
5Latinplānuslevel, flat, even
6Ancient Greekπλάνοςwandering
7Ancient Greekπλανάωto make to wander, lead wandering about; to lead...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpl-néh₂-ti—

Words derived from “explanatory”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pl-néh₂-ti →Every word from Ancient Greek πλανάω →Every word from Ancient Greek πλάνος →