ex·plic·a·tive I. \(ˈ)ek|splikəd.iv, ikˈs-, ˈekspləˌkād.-\adjective : serving to explicate : explanatory; specifically: serving to explain logically what is contained in the subject < an explicative proposition > • ex·plic·a·tive·ly\-d.ə̇vlē\adverb II. noun (-s) : an explicative expression