Etymology
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elaboration (n.)

1570s, in a physiological sense relating to tissue development, from Late Latin elaborationem (nominative elaboratio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin elaborare "work out, produce by labor, endeavor, struggle," from ex "out" (see ex-) + laborare "to labor" (see labor (v.)). Meaning "act of working out in great exactness and detail" is from 1610s.

Entries linking to elaboration

ex- 
word-forming element, in English meaning usually "out of, from," but also "upwards, completely, deprive of, without," and "former;" from Latin ex "out of, from within; from which time, since; according to; in regard to," from PIE *eghs "out" (source also of Gaulish ex-, Old Irish ess-, Old Church Slavonic izu, Russian iz). In some cases also from Greek cognate ex, ek. PIE *eghs had comparative form *eks-tero and superlative *eks-t(e)r-emo-. Often reduced to e- before -b-, -d-, -g-, consonantal -i-, -l-, -m-, -n-, -v- (as in elude, emerge, evaporate, etc.).
labor (v.)
late 14c., "perform manual or physical work; work hard; keep busy; take pains, strive, endeavor" (also "copulate"), from Old French laborer "to work, toil; struggle, have difficulty; be busy; plow land," from Latin laborare "to work, endeavor, take pains, exert oneself; produce by toil; suffer, be afflicted; be in distress or difficulty," from labor "toil, work, exertion" (see labor (n.)).

The verb in modern French, Spanish, and Portuguese means "to plow;" the wider sense being taken by the equivalent of English travail. Sense of "endure pain, suffer" is early 15c., especially in phrase labor of child (mid-15c.). Meaning "be burdened" (with trouble, affliction, etc., usually with under) is from late 15c. The transitive senses have tended to go with belabor. Related: Labored; laboring.

updated on September 19, 2018

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Definitions of elaboration from WordNet

elaboration (n.)
developing in intricate and painstaking detail;
Synonyms: working out
elaboration (n.)
addition of extra material or illustration or clarifying detail;
an elaboration of the sketch followed
Synonyms: amplification
elaboration (n.)
the result of improving something;
Synonyms: refinement
elaboration (n.)
a discussion that provides additional information;
Synonyms: expansion / enlargement
elaboration (n.)
marked by elaborately complex detail;
Synonyms: elaborateness / intricacy / involution
From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near elaboration

-el

*el-

El Paso

elaborate

elaborately

elaboration

elan

eland

elapse

elasmobranch

elasmosaurus

© 2001-2022 Douglas Harper