articulate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb provide with a joint
    joint.
    • the carpenter jointed two pieces of wood
  2. verb put into words or an expression
    phrase; word; formulate; give voice.
    • He formulated his concerns to the board of trustees
  3. verb speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way
    sound out; pronounce; enunciate; say; enounce.
    • She pronounces French words in a funny way
    • I cannot say `zip wire'
    • Can the child sound out this complicated word?
  4. verb unite by forming a joint or joints
    • the ankle bone articulates with the leg bones to form the ankle bones
  5. verb express or state clearly
    vocalize; vocalise; enunciate.
  6. adjective expressing yourself easily or characterized by clear expressive language
    • articulate speech
    • an articulate orator
    • articulate beings
  7. adjective consisting of segments held together by joints
    articulated.

WordNet

Ar*tic"u*late adjective
Etymology
L. articulatus. See Articulata.
Definitions
  1. Expressed in articles or in separate items or particulars. Archaic Bacon.
  2. Jointed; formed with joints; consisting of segments united by joints; as, articulate animals or plants.
  3. Distinctly uttered; spoken so as to be intelligible; characterized by division into words and syllables; as, articulate speech, sounds, words.
    Total changes of party and articulate opinion. Carlyle.
Ar*tic"u*late noun
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) An animal of the subkingdom Articulata.
Ar*tic"u*late intransitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Articulated present participle & verbal noun Articulating
Definitions
  1. To utter articulate sounds; to utter the elementary sounds of a language; to enunciate; to speak distinctly.
  2. To treat or make terms. Obs. Shak.
  3. To join or be connected by articulation.
Ar*tic"u*late transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To joint; to unite by means of a joint; to put together with joints or at the joints.
  2. To draw up or write in separate articles; to particularize; to specify. Obs.
  3. To form, as the elementary sounds; to utter in distinct syllables or words; to enunciate; as, to articulate letters or language. "To articulate a word." Ray.
  4. To express distinctly; to give utterance to.
    Luther articulated himself upon a process that hand already begun in the Christian church. Bibliotheca Sacra.
    To . . . articulate the dumb, deep want of the people. Carlyle.

Webster 1913