elaborate

¹elab·o·rate

adj \i-ˈla-b(ə-)rət\

Definition of ELABORATE

1

: planned or carried out with great care <took elaborate precautions>

2

: marked by complexity, fullness of detail, or ornateness <elaborate prose>

— elab·o·rate·ly adverb

— elab·o·rate·ness noun

Examples of ELABORATE

1. They made elaborate preparations for his visit.
2. I see now that her behavior was all part of an elaborate plan.
3. The dancers were wearing elaborate costumes.
4. He told the story in elaborate detail.
5. Jumping spiders, the largest family of spiders, have excellent eyesight and perform elaborate courtship and threat displays, often characterized by ritualized body postures and leg waving. —Simon Pollard, Natural History, March 1995
6. Mostly, I think, because it's wicked hot today, I've been having elaborate fantasies about the perfect hot-weather lunch: two dozen freshly opened Little Necks and a couple bottles of ice-cold lager. None of that red “cocktail” sauce on 'em either, just lemon and coarse black pepper. —Vladimir Estragon, Waiting for Dessert, 1982
7. On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A. —Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, 1850

Origin of ELABORATE

Latin elaboratus, from past participle of elaborare to work out, acquire by labor, from e- + laborare to work — more at laboratory

First Known Use: 1592

Related to ELABORATE

Synonyms: complex, complicated, detailed, fancy, intricate, involved, sophisticated

Antonyms: no-frills, simple, unfancy, unsophisticated

Related Words: elegant, exquisite, grand, magnificent, ornate, splendid; chichi, extravagant, exuberant, fancified, flamboyant, frilly, gimmicked (up), grandiose, ostentatious, overwrought, showy, souped-up; Byzantine, convoluted, involute, involuted, labyrinthian, labyrinthine

Near Antonyms: modest, plain, plain-Jane, plain-vanilla, uncomplicated; bald, bare, naked, unadorned, undecorated, unvarnished

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