To draw out or bring forth a response, answer, or fact from someone; to evoke or extract information or a reaction.
From Latin 'elicere,' meaning 'to draw out,' combining 'e-' (out) and 'lacere' (to entice or allure). The word entered English in the 17th century, maintaining its sense of drawing something out that was hidden or latent.
Don't confuse elicit with illicit! Think of elicit as 'e-lick-it'—you're 'licking out' information like getting honey from a jar. The key insight is that eliciting always involves skillfully drawing out something that wasn't immediately apparent.
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