French word

clarifier

Pronunciation

IPA/klaʁifje/

Meaning

  • verbclarify

Example

Je veux clarifier ce point.

I want to clarify this point.

Illustration for clarifier (clarify)

More examples

Peux-tu clarifier ta réponse ?

Can you clarify your answer?

Core concept

A veil of confusion or cloudiness being removed until the underlying form can be seen clearly.

Common phrases

  • clarifier un point

    clarify a point

  • clarifier la situation

    clarify the situation

  • clarifier un malentendu

    clear up a misunderstanding

Similar words

expliquer: Describe why or how something happened or works so it can be understood.
préciser: State specific wording or figures clearly to avoid confusion.

Definition in French

Rendre clair ce qui était confus ou vague, au sens abstrait comme au sens concret.

Word origin

Clarifier is a French formation from Latin clarificare, whose parts combine the ideas of 'clear' and 'make'.

Usage tips

  • In requests for more detail, préciser often fits better than clarifier when the issue is adding exact information rather than removing confusion.

Opposites

Related words

  • clarificationclarificationnoun
  • clarifiéclarifiedadjective

Word lists with this word