4 syllables: ex, pla, na, tions. Stress on na.
/ɛkspləˈneɪʃənz/
Say it backExplanations are detailed accounts or clarifications that reveal how or why something works, often organized to illuminate a topic or argument. They present evidence, reasoning, and context to make a concept understandable, aiming to resolve confusion and guide decision-making. In scholarly and communicative settings, explanations anticipate questions and contrast alternatives to support comprehension.
"The teacher gave clear explanations of the math problem, then invited students to ask questions."
"To avoid misinterpretation, the manual includes explanations of the safety procedures."
"During the interview, she provided explanations for the delays and the proposed solution."
Pronounce as /ˌɛkˌsplænˈeɪʃənz/ in US and /ˌɛk.plænˈeɪ.ʃənz/ in UK and /ˌek.splənˈeɪ.ʃənz/ in AU. The main stress lands on the second-to-last syllable, with secondary stress on the initial syllable. Start with a light, quick 'ex' /ɛk/ and move to /splæ/ as in 'plank', then glide into /ˈeɪ/ for the 'ay' sound, and finish with /ʃənz/. Picture your mouth opening a bit wider for the /æ/ before the /ʃ/.
Common errors: misplacing the stress (stressing the 'e' or 'za' incorrectly), pronouncing /splæn/ as /splɛn/ (confusing short /æ/ with /ɛ/), and running the final /ʃənz/ too quickly or as /ʃənz/ without clear /n/ before /z/. Corrections: place primary stress on the penultimate syllable (ˌɛkˌsplaˈnei-), use a clear /æ/ in /plæ/ rather than /ɛ/ or /ɪ/, and articulate /ʃənz/ with a slight pause before the suffix to maintain the /n/ and /z/ transition.
US: secondary stress on ex- varies, /ˌɛkˌsplænˈeɪʃənz/. UK: often less vowel reduction, /ˌekˌsplænˈeɪʃənz/ with crisp /æ/. AU: vowels flatter; /ˌek.splenˈeɪ.ʃənz/ with less rhoticity and longer /eɪ/ in some speakers. Overall, syllable timing and vowel quality distinguish accents more than word-level changes; rhoticity is less a factor here because the final -z is voiced in all.ipa hints provided.
Three aspects challenge you: the multisyllabic structure with three clearly enunciated vowels in rapid succession, the shift from /ɛ/ or /e/ in /ɛk/ vs /ɪ/ in /plæn/, and the /eɪ/ diphthong in /neɪ/ followed by /ʃənz/—especially keeping the /n/ distinct before /z/. Tips: practice slow, gently separate syllables: /ɛk-spla-ˈnei-ʃənz/ and then blend. Use minimal pairs to lock in the rhythm and stress, and record yourself to ensure the final /z/ isn't devoiced.
A practical trick is to treat it as three units: ex- (unstressed), pla-nai- (focus on /nei/ with /eɪ/), -tions (/ʃənz/ with a crisp /n/ before /z/). Practice saying 'ex-' quickly, then stretch 'plan-ations' with clear /nei/ and /ʃənz/; finally, connect all with light linking: ex-pla-nei-ʃənz. Use delay to maintain the /ʃ/ and avoid rushing the /ənz/.
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Explanations comes from Middle English expliencyoun, borrowed from Old French explication, from Latin explicatio, from explicare “to explain, unfold, spread out.” The Latin explicare is from ex- “out” + plicare “to fold,” literally meaning to unfold something that has been folded away in the mind. The term began to appear in English in the late medieval period, with scholarly use increasing during the Renaissance as scholars sought systematic ways to present knowledge. Through centuries, explicatio evolved into modern ‘explanation’ for the noun and explication for a formal, detailed analysis. The plural form explanations emerged to refer to multiple accounts or clarifications. The word’s semantic core shifted from a general act of unfolding information to a more structured, reasoned, and often evidence-based account. In contemporary usage, explanations can vary in rigor from everyday clarifications to formal, step-by-step arguments found in academics and journalism. First known uses in English trace to 14th–15th centuries in scholarly Latin-to-English translations, with rapid expansion during the 16th–18th centuries as printed texts demanded precise explanatory passages.
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Words that rhyme with "explanations"
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