WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ex•plic•it /ɪkˈsplɪsɪt/USA pronunciation
adj.
ex•plic•it•ness, n. [uncountable]See -plic-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated: explicit instructions.
- unreserved in expression;
outspoken: explicit language.
ex•plic•it•ness, n. [uncountable]See -plic-.
ex•plic•it
(ik splis′it),USA pronunciation adj.
ex•plic′it•ly, adv.
ex•plic′it•ness, n.
explicit, +adj.
- fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated;
leaving nothing merely implied;
unequivocal:explicit instructions;an explicit act of violence;explicit language. - clearly developed or formulated:explicit knowledge; explicit belief.
- definite and unreserved in expression;
outspoken:He was quite explicit as to what he expected us to do for him. - Literaturedescribed or shown in realistic detail:explicit sexual scenes.
- having sexual acts or nudity clearly depicted:explicit movies; explicit books.
- Mathematics(of a function) having the dependent variable expressed directly in terms of the independent variables, as y = 3x + 4. Cf. implicit (def. 4).
- Latin explicitus unfolded, set forth, variant past participle of explicāre. See explicate
- 1605–15
ex•plic′it•ness, n.
- 1. express, definite, precise, exact, unambiguous. 3. open, forthright, unabashed.
- 1. indefinite, ambiguous.
explicit, +adj.
- having sexual acts or nudity clearly depicted:explicit movies; explicit books.
'explicitness' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):