1. A genuine, truthful, or authentic account of the reasons or causes behind something; the actual facts rather than a superficial or misleading account
The real explanation for his absence was that he was sick, not that he forgot about the meeting.
A explicação real para a sua ausência era que ele estava doente, não que tinha esquecido da reunião.
2. A factual or substantive clarification that goes beyond surface-level understanding
Scientists sought the real explanation for the phenomenon rather than accepting folk theories.
Os cientistas procuravam a explicação real do fenômeno em vez de aceitar teorias populares.