Elicit: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Elicit verb. To draw out a reply, reaction or piece of information from someone.
How to say it
ih-LIS-it/ɪˈlɪsɪt/
3 syllables, stressed on the second (LIS). Forms: elicited.
Elicit in a sentence
The joke elicited only a polite cough from the audience.
Good teachers elicit answers rather than simply handing them out.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- draw out
- evoke
- extract
- prompt
Usage note
Elicit is a verb, to draw something out. Illicit, which sounds almost the same, is an adjective meaning forbidden by law or custom, as in illicit drugs.
Where elicit comes from
From Latin elicere, to lure out.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Good teachers _____ answers rather than simply handing them out.
- depreciate
- elicit
- appraise
Show the answer
elicit: Good teachers elicit answers rather than simply handing them out.