make clear by removing impurities or solids, as by heating
"clarify the butter"
"clarify beer"
To make clear or bright by freeing from feculent matter
"The water treatment plant uses special filters to clarify the river before it enters the drinking supply."
In plain English: To clarify something means to make it clearer and easier to understand by removing confusion.
"She asked him to clarify his instructions so she could complete the task correctly."
Usage: Use clarify to mean making an idea, statement, or situation easier to understand rather than physically cleaning liquids. It is often confused with the noun clarification when referring to a specific explanation provided in response to confusion.
The word clarify comes from the Latin phrase meaning "to make clear," which entered English through Middle French and Old French. It combines the root for bright or distinct with a verb suffix that indicates causing something to become so.