Definition: articulate

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

articulate
     adj 1: expressing yourself easily or characterized by clear
            expressive language; "articulate speech"; "an
            articulate orator"; "articulate beings" [ant: inarticulate]
     2: consisting of segments held together by joints [syn: articulated]
        [ant: unarticulated]
     v 1: provide with a joint, as of two pieces of wood [syn: joint]
     2: put into words or an expression; "He formulated his concerns
        to the board of trustees" [syn: formulate, word, phrase]
     3: speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way; "She pronounces
        French words in a funny way"; "I cannot say `zip wire'";
        "Can the child sound out this complicated word?" [syn: pronounce,
         enounce, sound out, enunciate, say]
     4: express or state clearly [syn: enunciate, vocalize, vocalise]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Articulate \Ar*tic"u*late\, a. [L. articulatus. See
   Articulata.]
   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.

Articulate \Ar*tic"u*late\, n. (Zo["o]l.)
   An animal of the subkingdom Articulata.

Articulate \Ar*tic"u*late\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Articulated;
   p. pr. & vb. n. Articulating].
   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.

Articulate \Ar*tic"u*late\, v. t.
   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.