Explicit, Implicit, and Inherent

Distinguish words that describe whether meaning is stated, suggested, or built in.

These three words appear constantly in literary analysis and test questions. Explicit means stated clearly and directly, leaving nothing to infer. Implicit means suggested or understood without being stated. Both come from Latin plicare, 'to fold': explicit is 'unfolded,' laid open; implicit is 'folded in,' tucked inside. Inherent means existing as a natural, permanent part of something, from Latin inhaerere, 'to stick in. ' Worked example: a passage reads, 'She checked the lock three times, then a fourth.

' Her anxiety is implicit; the author never names it, but we infer it from her actions. If the author had written, 'She was anxious,' the anxiety would be explicit. Now consider: 'Every bridge design involves inherent trade-offs between cost and strength. ' The trade-offs are built into the nature of bridges. When a question asks about an 'implicit' idea, look for what the text shows rather than says.

• 1Explicit: stated directly ('unfolded').
• 2Implicit: suggested but not stated ('folded in').
• 3Inherent: a natural, built-in part of something.