Standard Lemma guide

elicit

adj · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪˈlɪsɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪsɪt
  • homophone: illicit
  • CMU ARPABET: IH0 L IH1 S IH0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Elicited; drawn out; made real; open; evident.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To evoke, educe (emotions, feelings, responses, etc.); to generate, obtain, or provoke as a response or answer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To draw out, bring out, bring forth (something latent); to obtain information from someone or something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Fred wished to elicit the time of the meeting from Jane.
  • Did you elicit a response?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To use logic to arrive at truth; to derive by reason.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deduce, construe

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

derive by reason

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • elicit a solution

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: deduce, infer, deduct, derive

6

verb

Meaning 6

deduce (a principle) or construe (a meaning)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We drew out some interesting linguistic data from the native informant

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: educe, evoke, extract, draw out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: interpret, construe, see

7

verb

Meaning 7

call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • arouse pity
  • raise a smile
  • evoke sympathy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: arouse, enkindle, kindle, evoke, fire, raise, provoke

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: make, create

Narrower terms: strike a chord, touch a chord, invite, ask for, draw, rekindle, infatuate, prick, inflame, stir up, wake, ignite, heat, fire up, stimulate, shake, shake up, excite, stir, anger, upset, discompose, untune, disconcert, discomfit, shame, hurt, wound, injure, bruise, offend, spite, overwhelm, overpower, sweep over, whelm, overcome, overtake, interest

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin elicitus from eliciō (“draw forth”).

Across languages

Translations

132 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: извлечен (izvlečen) — Translations
  • Bulgarian: изведен (izveden) — Translations
  • Spanish: elícito (DEA) — Translations
  • Arabic: يُهَيِّج (yuhayyij) — to evoke, educe
  • Arabic: يُوْقِظ (yuwqiẓ) — to evoke, educe
  • Bulgarian: извли́чам (izvlíčam) — to evoke, educe
  • Chinese Mandarin: 引出 (yǐnchū) — to evoke, educe
  • Czech: vyvolat — to evoke, educe
  • Czech: vygenerovat — to evoke, educe
  • Czech: vyprovokovat — to evoke, educe
  • Czech: získat — to evoke, educe
  • Danish: få frem — to evoke, educe
  • Danish: fremkalde — to evoke, educe
  • Dutch: ontlokken — to evoke, educe
  • Dutch: oproepen — to evoke, educe
  • Finnish: herättää — to evoke, educe
  • Finnish: nostattaa — to evoke, educe
  • Finnish: saada aikaan — to evoke, educe
  • French: susciter — to evoke, educe
  • German: hervorlocken — to evoke, educe
  • German: hervorrufen — to evoke, educe
  • German: auslösen — to evoke, educe
  • German: erzeugen — to evoke, educe
  • Hungarian: kivált — to evoke, educe
  • Italian: provocare — to evoke, educe
  • Italian: suscitare — to evoke, educe
  • Norwegian Bokmål: avstedkomme — to evoke, educe
  • Norwegian Bokmål: fremkalle — to evoke, educe
  • Norwegian Bokmål: vekke — to evoke, educe
  • Norwegian Bokmål: påkalle — to evoke, educe
  • Portuguese: provocar — to evoke, educe
  • Russian: вызыва́ть (vyzyvátʹ) — to evoke, educe
  • Russian: вы́звать (výzvatʹ) — to evoke, educe
  • Serbo-Croatian: izazvati — to evoke, educe
  • Serbo-Croatian: evocirati — to evoke, educe
  • Serbo-Croatian: izvući — to evoke, educe
  • Serbo-Croatian: polučiti — to evoke, educe
  • Slovak: vyvolať — to evoke, educe
  • Slovak: vygenerovať — to evoke, educe
  • Slovak: vyprovokovať — to evoke, educe
  • Slovak: získať — to evoke, educe
  • Spanish: provocar — to evoke, educe
  • Spanish: suscitar — to evoke, educe
  • Spanish: evocar — to evoke, educe
  • Spanish: educir — to evoke, educe
  • Spanish: elicitar (DPD) — to evoke, educe
  • Swedish: locka fram — to evoke, educe
  • Swedish: framkalla — to evoke, educe
  • Swedish: väcka — to evoke, educe
  • Swedish: få fram — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: (bilgi) edinmek — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: (bilgi) temin etmek — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: (gerçeği) ortaya çıkarmak — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: almak — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: aydınlatmak — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: çıkarmak — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: (bir şeye) neden olmak — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: (bir şeye) yol açmak — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: elde etmek — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: meydana çıkarmak — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: öğrenmek — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: sağlamak — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: aydınlığa çıkarmak — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: tepki göstermek — to evoke, educe
  • Turkish: tepkiye neden olmak — to evoke, educe
  • Bulgarian: извличам (izvličam) — to draw out, bring out
  • Bulgarian: извлека (izvleka) — to draw out, bring out
  • Czech: zjistit — to draw out, bring out
  • Czech: vyzvědět — to draw out, bring out
  • Czech: získat — to draw out, bring out
  • Czech: vylákat — to draw out, bring out
  • Dutch: onthullen — to draw out, bring out
  • Dutch: teweegbrengen — to draw out, bring out
  • Dutch: veroorzaken — to draw out, bring out
  • Finnish: saada — to draw out, bring out
  • Finnish: saada selville — to draw out, bring out
  • Finnish: houkutella — to draw out, bring out
  • French: causer — to draw out, bring out
  • French: réaliser — to draw out, bring out
  • French: obtenir — to draw out, bring out
  • German: herauslocken — to draw out, bring out
  • German: entlocken — to draw out, bring out
  • German: hervorzaubern — to draw out, bring out
  • German: zum Vorschein bringen — to draw out, bring out
  • German: enthüllen — to draw out, bring out
  • Hungarian: előhív — to draw out, bring out
  • Hungarian: kivált — to draw out, bring out
  • Portuguese: conseguir — to draw out, bring out
  • Portuguese: levantar — to draw out, bring out
  • Portuguese: obter — to draw out, bring out
  • Russian: извлека́ть (izvlekátʹ) — to draw out, bring out
  • Russian: извле́чь (izvléčʹ) — to draw out, bring out
  • Serbo-Croatian: izvesti — to draw out, bring out
  • Spanish: sonsacar — to draw out, bring out
  • Spanish: obtener — to draw out, bring out
  • Spanish: saconear — to draw out, bring out
  • Spanish: elicitar (DPD) — to draw out, bring out
  • Swedish: få fram — to draw out, bring out
  • Ukrainian: витя́гувати (vytjáhuvaty) — to draw out, bring out
  • Ukrainian: витяга́ти (vytjaháty) — to draw out, bring out
  • Ukrainian: ви́тягнути (výtjahnuty) — to draw out, bring out
  • Bulgarian: умозаключавам (umozaključavam) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Bulgarian: умозаключа (umozaključa) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Bulgarian: заключавам (zaključavam) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Bulgarian: заключа (zaključa) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Catalan: deduir — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Catalan: inferir — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Chinese Mandarin: 推斷 /推断 (tuīduàn) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Chinese Mandarin: 推理 (tuīlǐ) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Danish: ræsonnere — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Danish: slutte — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Dutch: redeneren — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Dutch: afleiden — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Finnish: johtaa — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Finnish: päätellä — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • French: raisonner — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • French: déduire — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • German: schließen — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • German: schlussfolgern — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Norwegian Bokmål: resonnere — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Norwegian Bokmål: slutte — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Portuguese: deduzir — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Portuguese: inferir — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Russian: выявля́ть (vyjavljátʹ) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Russian: вы́явить (výjavitʹ) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Russian: устана́вливать (ustanávlivatʹ) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Russian: установи́ть (ustanovítʹ) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Russian: де́лать вы́вод (délatʹ vývod) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Russian: сде́лать вы́вод (sdélatʹ vývod) — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Serbo-Croatian: rezonirati — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Spanish: deducir — to use logic to arrive at truth
  • Spanish: inferir — to use logic to arrive at truth