expatiate

verb

ex·​pa·​ti·​ate ek-ˈspā-shē-ˌāt 

expatiated; expatiating

intransitive verb

1

: to move about freely or at will : wander

2

: to speak or write at length or in detail

expatiating upon the value of the fabric

—Thomas Hardy

expatiation

(ˌ)ek-ˌspā-shē-ˈā-shən 

noun

Did you know?

The Latin antecedent of "expatiate" is "exspatiari," which combines the prefix ex- ("out of") with "spatiari" ("to take a walk"), itself from "spatium" ("space" or "course"). Exspatiari means "to wander from a course" and, in the figurative sense, "to digress." But when English speakers began using "expatiate" in 1538, we took "wander" as simply "to move about freely." In a similar digression from the original Latin, we began using "expatiate" in a figurative sense of "to speak at length." That's the sense of the word most often used these days, usually in combination with "on" or "upon."

Synonyms

• declaim
• descant
• discourse
• harangue
• lecture
• orate
• speak
• talk

Examples of expatiate in a Sentence

the naturalist is known for her willingness to expatiate on any number of issues relating to wildlife and the environment

Recent Examples on the Web

There was no debate on education, for instance, the subject on which Cash had been most keen to expatiate; indeed, there were no debates at all. —Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 25 July 2024

Ostensibly, further studies are encouraged to expatiate this understanding. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2024

With wit and elan to spare, Greene expatiates on the intrigue that ensues when David Sparsholt, an engineering student with a fiancée, Connie, and a plan to join the Royal Air Force, arrives at Oxford in 1940. —Priscilla Gilman, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Mar. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Latin exspatiatus, past participle of exspatiari to wander, digress, from ex- + spatium space, course

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

expatiate

verb

ex·​pa·​ti·​ate ek-ˈspā-shē-ˌāt 

expatiated; expatiating

: to speak or write in a full or lengthy manner

expatiation

(ˌ)ek-ˌspā-shē-ˈā-shən 

noun