self-explanatoryadj.
/ˌsɛlfᵻkˈsplanət(ə)ri/, /ˌsɛlfɛkˈsplanət(ə)ri/, U.S. /ˌsɛlfɛkˈsplænəˌtɔri/, /ˌsɛlfəkˈsplænəˌtɔri/ Able to be understood without explanation; that explains itself; easy to understand.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > explanation, exposition > [adjective] > self-explanatory
self-explained1726
self-explanatory1737
self-explaining1821
1737 ‘Alexander the Coppersmith’ Remarks upon City of Corke 89 There is not I believe a more confused set of By-laws upon Earth, than These..which instead of being drawn Self-explanatory, & Easy, are dark, Contradictory, and Irreconciliable.
1814 T. Brown (title) The self-explanatory history and life of our blessed Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
1898 London, Edinb., & Dublin Philos. Mag. 5th Ser. 45 73 I have drawn the diagrams for the various methods, which are nearly self-explanatory.
1935 Amer. Speech 10 315 The Bachelorettes is the self-explanatory name of a feminine social club in a western city.
1982 Amer. Libr. 13 304/2 The key..is to make computer interaction self-explanatory. PaperChase requires no sign-in procedure.
2003 S. Brett Murder in Museum i. 8 You've all been circulated copies of the last six months' accounts, which I think are self-explanatory.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, January 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1737