implied though not directly expressed; inherent in the nature of something
"an implicit agreement not to raise the subject"
"there was implicit criticism in his voice"
"anger was implicit in the argument"
"the oak is implicit in the acorn"
Implied indirectly, without being directly expressed
"The manager's implicit approval was clear even though she never verbally agreed to the plan."
In plain English: Implicit means something that is understood without being directly stated.
"His agreement was implicit in his smile and nod."
Usage: Use implicit to describe something that is understood or assumed even though it has not been explicitly stated. This word often contrasts with explicit when discussing rules, agreements, or meanings that are clear in practice but absent from direct wording.
The word entered English from the Middle French implicite, which was derived from the Latin implicitus. Originally meaning "infolded" or "entangled," it describes something that is understood without being explicitly stated.