Elicit and illicit are homophones – words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. Even native speakers sometimes confuse them in writing, so you are not alone! Let’s look at each word in turn.
Illicit
Illicit is an adjective; it describes something that is illegal or forbidden by law or social customs.
The police seized a large quantity of illicit drugs.
The film tells the story of an illicit love affair.
Elicit
Elicit is a verb, and it has two meanings that are closely related.
Firstly, it means to cause someone to respond or react to something:
The teacher’s question elicited a lively discussion.
Whether it elicits tears or cheers, there is much to enjoy in this film.
Secondly, in more formal contexts, elicit means to obtain information by asking the right questions:
Phone calls elicited no further information.
How can I remember the difference?
Here are two simple memory tricks:
- Think of illicit as something that makes society “ill” – in other words, something harmful and illegal.
- Think of elicit as extracting something from somebody, whether that is a reaction or a piece of information.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
| illicit | adjective | illegal or forbidden |
| elicit | verb | to extract a reaction or information |
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