Etymology dictionary
exigent (adj.) — exploit (n.)
exigent (adj.)
1660s, "urgent," a back-formation from exigency or else from Latin exigentem (nominative exigens), present participle of exigere "to demand; drive out, drive forth."
exigency (n.)
1580s, "that which is needed," from French exigence, from Latin exigentia "urgency," from exigentem (nominative exigens), present participle of exigere "demand, require, enforce," literally "to drive or force out," also "to finish, measure," from ex "out" (see ex-) + agere "to set in motion, drive, drive forward; to do, perform" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move"). Meaning "state of being urgent" is from 1769. Related: Exigencies (1650s).
exigence (n.)
mid-15c., "what is needed" (in a given situation), from Old French exigence or directly from Latin exigentia "urgency," from exigentem (nominative exigens), present participle of exigere "demand, require, enforce," literally "to drive or force out," also "to finish, measure," from ex "out" (see ex-) + agere "to set in motion, drive, drive forward; to do, perform" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move"). From 1580s as "state of being urgent."
exiguous (adj.)
"scanty, small, diminutive," 1650s, from Latin exiguus "small, short; petty, paltry, poor, mean; scanty in measure or number; strict," literally "measured, exact," from exigere "to drive out, take out," also "to finish, measure," from ex "out" (see ex-) + agere "to set in motion, drive, drive forward; to do, perform" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move"). Compare immense "huge," literally "unmeasured."
exile (v.)
c. 1300, from Old French essillier "exile, banish, expel, drive off" (12c.), from Late Latin exilare/exsilare, from Latin exilium/exsilium "banishment, exile; place of exile," from exul "banished person," from ex "away" (see ex-); according to Watkins the second element is from PIE root *al- (2) "to wander" (source also of Greek alaomai "to wander, stray, or roam about"). De Vaan expands on this:
In ancient times folk etymology derived the second element from Latin solum "soil." Related: Exiled; exiling.
exile (n.)
c. 1300, "forced removal from one's country," from Old French exil, essil (12c.), from Latin exilium "banishment; place of exile" (see exile (v.)). From c. 1300 as "a banished person," from Latin exsul, exul. The Latin noun was glossed in Old English by utlanda.
existent (adj.)
"existing, having existence," 1560s, a back-formation from existence, or else from Latin existentem/exsistentem (nominative existens/exsistens), present participle of existere/exsistere "to exist, be" (see existence).
exist (v.)
"to have actual being of any kind, actually be at a certain moment or throughout a certain period of time," c. 1600, from French exister (17c.), from Latin existere/exsistere "to step out, stand forth, emerge, appear; exist, be" (see existence). "The late appearance of the word is remarkable" [OED]. Middle English often used ibēn, ibeon (based on be) for "to exist." Related: Existed; existing.
existence (n.)
late 14c., "reality," from Old French existence, from Medieval Latin existentia/exsistentia, from existentem/exsistentem (nominative existens/exsistens) "existent," present participle of Latin existere/exsistere "stand forth, come out, emerge; appear, be visible, come to light; arise, be produced; turn into," and, as a secondary meaning, "exist, be;" from ex "forth" (see ex-) + sistere "cause to stand," from PIE *si-st-, reduplicated form of root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm."
existentialism (n.)
1941, from German Existentialismus (1919), replacing Existentialforhold (1849), ultimately from Danish writer Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), who wrote (1846) of Existents-Forhold "condition of existence," existentielle Pathos, etc. (see existential), and whose name means in Danish, literally, "churchyard" (compare Middle English cognate kirrkegærd (c. 1200), dialectal church-garth).
existential (adj.)
1690s, "pertaining to existence," from Late Latin existentialis/exsistentialis, from existentia/exsistentia (see existence). As a term in logic, "expressing or stating the fact of existence," from 1819; in philosophy, from 1937, tracing back to the Danish works of Kierkegaard (see existentialism). Related: Existentially.
existentialist
by 1895 (adj.) in philosophy; 1945 (n.); from existential + -ist and in later use from French existentialiste, from existentialisme (1940); see existentialism. Related: Existentialistic.
exit (n.)
1530s (late 15c. as a Latin word in English), originally a stage direction, from Latin exit "he or she goes out," third person singular present indicative of exire "go out, go forth, depart," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + ire "to go" (from PIE root *ei- "to go"). Also from Latin exitus "a leaving, a going out," noun of action from exire.
Meaning "a departure" (originally from the stage) is from 1580s. Meaning "a way of departure" is from 1690s; specific meaning "door for leaving" is from 1786. The verb is c. 1600, from the noun; it ought to be left to stage directions and the clunky jargon of police reports. Related: Exited; exiting.
Exit poll attested by 1980.
ex libris
Latin, literally "out of the books (of)," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + ablative plural of liber "book" (see library). Hence, ex-librist (1880).
ex nihilo
Latin, literally "out of nothing," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + nihilo, ablative of nihil "nothing" (see nil).
exo-
word-forming element in words of Greek origin meaning "outer, outside, outer part," used from mid-19c. in scientific words (such as exoskeleton), from Greek exō (adv.) "outside," related to ex (prep.) "out of" (see ex-).
Exocet (n.)
1970, proprietary name of a rocket-propelled short-range guided missile, trademarked 1970 by Société Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale, from French exocet "flying fish" (16c.), from Latin exocoetus, from Greek exokoitos "sleeping fish, fish that sleeps upon the beach," from exō "outside" (see exo-) + koitos "bed."
Exodus
late Old English, the second book of the Old Testament, from Latin exodus, from Greek exodos "a military expedition; a solemn procession; departure; death," literally "a going out," from ex "out" (see ex-) + hodos "a way, path, road; a ride, journey, march," figuratively "way out, means," a word of uncertain origin. The book is so called because it tells of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt under the leadership of Moses. General sense (with lower-case -e-) "departure from a place," especially "the migration of large bodies of people or animals from one country or region to another," is from 1620s.
Beekes derives the Greek word from PIE *sod- "course" and says it is traditionally connected with Slavic words for "course" (such as Russian xod "course, progress," "which might have been borrowed from Iranian") and adds that it is perhaps also related to Sanskrit a-sad- "to tread on, go on," Avestan apa-had- "to go away; become weak," "but the relation between them is unclear, as is the connection to the PIE root *sed- "sit" (proposed in Watkins, etc.)."
ex officio
Latin, "in discharge of one's duties," literally "out of duty," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + officio, ablative of officium "duty" (see office).
exogamy (n.)
"the custom among certain tribes which prohibits a man from marrying a woman from his own tribe," 1865, Modern Latin, literally "outside marriage," from exo- "outer, outside" + -gamy. Related: Exogamous (1865). Apparently coined by Scottish anthropologist John Ferguson McLennan (1827-1881) in "Primitive Marriage" (see endogamy).
exogenous (adj.)
"growing by additions on the outside," by 1818, from Modern Latin exogenus (on model of indigenus); see exo- "outer, outside" + -genous "generating, producing."
exoneration (n.)
"act of exonerating or of discharging or freeing; state of being discharged or freed from an accusation, obligation, debt, etc.," 1630s, from Late Latin exonerationem (nominative exoneratio) "an unloading, lightening," noun of action from past-participle stem of exonerare "free from a burden" (see exonerate).
exonerate (v.)
1520s, "to unload, disburden," a literal sense now obsolete; 1570s as "relieve (of a charge, blame, etc.) resting on one; clear of something that lies upon the character as an imputation," from Latin exoneratus, past participle of exonerare "remove a burden, discharge, unload," from ex "out, out of, off" (see ex-) + onerare "to unload; overload, oppress," from onus (genitive oneris) "burden" (see onus). Related: Exonerated; exonerating.
exorable (adj.)
1570s, "susceptible of being moved by entreaty" (a word much rarer than its opposite and probably existing now only as a back-formation from it), from Latin exorabilis "easily entreated, influenced by prayer," from exorare "to persuade" (see inexorable). Related: Exorably.
exorbitance (n.)
mid-15c., exorbitaunce, "a deviation from what is right, a transgression of normal limitations" (a sense now archaic or obsolete), from exorbitant + -ance. Sense of "extravagance in degree or amount, excessiveness" is from 1640s. Related: Exorbitancy.
exorbitant (adj.)
mid-15c., a legal term, "deviating from rule or principle, eccentric;" from Late Latin exorbitantem (nominative exorbitans), present participle of exorbitare "deviate, go out of the track," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + orbita "wheel track" (see orb). General sense of "excessive, immoderate" is from 1620s; of prices, rates, etc., from 1660s. Related: Exorbitantly.
exorcism (n.)
early 15c., "a calling up or driving out of evil spirits," from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkismos "administration of an oath," in Ecclesiastical Greek, "exorcism," from exorkizein "exorcise, bind by oath," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + horkizein "cause to swear," from horkos "oath," which is of uncertain origin. Some linguists propose a connection with herkos "fence," "in which case it would properly denote the oath as the bounds that one assumes, a restriction, tie, or obligation" or "a magical power that fences in the swearer" [Beekes], but this is not accepted by all. Earlier in the same sense was exorcization (late 14c.).
exorcise (v.)
c. 1400, "to invoke spirits," from Old French exorciser (14c.), from Late Latin exorcizare, from Greek exorkizein "banish an evil spirit; bind by oath" (see exorcism). Sense of "call up evil spirits to drive them out" became dominant 16c. Formerly also exorcize; a rare case where -ise trumps -ize on both sides of the Atlantic, perhaps due to influence of exercise. Related: Exorcised; exorcising.
exorcist (n.)
"one who drives out evil spirits," late 14c., from Late Latin exorcista, from Ecclesiastical Greek exorkistes "an exorcist," from exorkizein (see exorcism).
exoskeleton (n.)
in zoology, "any hardened external structure," as the shells of crustaceans or the scales and plates of fishes and reptiles, especially when it is of the nature of bone, 1841, from exo- + skeleton. Said to have been introduced by English anatomist Richard Owen. Related: Exoskeletal.
exotic (adj.)
1590s, "belonging to another country," from French exotique (16c.) and directly from Latin exoticus, from Greek exotikos "foreign," literally "from the outside," from exo "outside" (see exo-). Sense of "unusual, strange" in English first recorded 1620s, from notion of "alien, outlandish." In reference to strip-teasers and dancing girls, it is attested by 1942, American English.
As a noun from 1640s, "anything of foreign origin," originally plants.
exoteric (adj.)
"pertaining to the outside, external," also "open, suitable for communication to the general public, popular," 1650s, from Late Latin exotericus, from Greek exoterikos "external, belonging to the outside," from exotero, comparative of exo (see exo-). Compare esoteric.
exothermic (adj.)
1874, in chemistry, "relating to a liberation of heat," modeled on French exothermique (1869, Berthelot); see exo- + thermal.
exoticism (n.)
"state of being exotic; anything exotic," 1827, from exotic + -ism.
expand (v.)
early 15c., "spread out, open out, spread flat, extend widely;" also transitive, "cause to grow larger;" from Anglo-French espaundre, Old French espandre "spread, spread out, be spilled," and directly from Latin expandere "to spread out, unfold, expand," from ex "out" (see ex-) + pandere "to spread, stretch" (from nasalized form of PIE root *pete- "to spread"). Related: Expanded; expanding.
expanse (n.)
"spatial extension; an uninterrupted stretch or area, especially one of considerable extent," 1660s, from Latin expansum, noun use of neuter of expansus, past participle of expandere "to spread out, unfold, expand," from ex "out" (see ex-) + pandere "to spread, stretch" (from nasalized form of PIE root *pete- "to spread").
expansion (n.)
1610s, "anything spread out;" 1640s, "act of expanding," from French expansion, from Late Latin expansionem (nominative expansio) "a spreading out," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin expandere "to spread out, unfold, expand," from ex "out" (see ex-) + pandere "to spread, stretch" (from nasalized form of PIE root *pete- "to spread").
expansive (adj.)
1650s, "tending to expand," from Latin expans-, past-participle stem of expandere "to spread out" (see expand) + -ive. Meaning "embracing a large number of particulars, comprehensive" is by 1813. Related: Expansively; expansiveness.
expansionist (n.)
1874, American English, in reference to money policy; by 1884 as "one who advocates the expansion of the territory of his nation," from expansion + -ist. Related: Expansionism.
ex parte
Latin legal term, "on the one side only," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + parte, ablative of pars "a part, piece, a division, a fraction, a side of the body" (from PIE root *pere- (2) "to grant, allot").
expat (n.)
1962, shortening of expatriate (n.).
expatiate (v.)
1530s, "walk about, roam freely," from Latin expatiatus/exspatiatus, past participle of expatiari/exspatiari "wander, digress, wander from the way; spread, extend," from ex "out" (see ex-) + spatiari "to walk, spread out," from spatium (see space (n.)). Meaning "talk or write at length" is 1610s. Related: Expatiated; expatiating.
expatiation (n.)
"act of expatiating," 1610s, noun of action from expatiate.
expatriate (v.)
"to banish, send out of one's native country," 1768, modeled on French expatrier "banish" (14c.), from ex- "out of" (see ex-) + patrie "native land," from Latin patria "one's native country," from pater (genitive patris) "father" (see father (n.); also compare patriot). Related: Expatriated; expatriating. The noun is by 1818, "one who has been banished;" main modern sense of "one who chooses to live abroad" is by 1902.
expatriation (n.)
"act of banishing; state of being banished," 1767, from French expatriation, noun of action from expatrier (see expatriate).
expectant (adj.)
"having expectation, looking forward to (something) with confidence," late 14c., expectant/expectaunt, from Old French expectant or directly from Latin expectantem/exspectantem (nominative expectans/exspectans), present participle of expectare/exspectare "await, desire, hope" (see expect). Meaning "pregnant" is by 1861. Related: Expectantly. As a noun, "one who waits in expectation," from 1620s.
expect (v.)
1550s, "wait, defer action," from Latin expectare/exspectare "await, look out for; desire, hope, long for, anticipate; look for with anticipation," from ex- "thoroughly" (see ex-) + spectare "to look," frequentative of specere "to look at" (from PIE root *spek- "to observe").
The figurative sense of "anticipate, look forward to" developed in Latin and is attested in English from c. 1600. Also from c. 1600 as "regard as about to happen." Meaning "count upon (to do something), trust or rely on" is from 1630s. Used since 1817 as a euphemism for "be pregnant." In the sense "suppose, reckon, suspect," it is attested from 1640s but was regarded as a New England provincialism. Related: Expected; expecting.
expectancy (n.)
"act or state of expecting; anticipatory belief or desire," 1590s, from Medieval Latin expectantia, from Latin expectans/exspectans (present participle of expectare/exspectare "await, desire, hope;" see expect) + -ancy. Related: Expectance.
expectation (n.)
1530s, "state or condition of waiting or awaiting with confident anticipation," from French expectation (14c.) or directly from Latin expectationem/exspectationem (nominative expectatio/exspectatio) "anticipation, an awaiting," noun of action from past-participle stem of expectare/exspectare "await, look out for" (see expect). Related: Expectations "preconceived opinions as to what will likely take place;" in Dickens' "Great Expectations" it has the sense of "prospect of future good," as of possessions, advancement, etc. (1660s).
expectorant (n.)
in medicine, "a drug which promotes or facilitates phlegm or other such matter from the body by means of expectoration," 1782, from Latin expectorantem (nominative expectorans), present participle of expectorare (see expectorate). From 1811 as an adjective.
expectorate (v.)
c. 1600, "to clear out the chest or lungs," a literal use of Latin expectoratus, past participle of expectorare, which in classical use was figurative, "scorn, expel from the mind," literally "drive from the breast, make a clean breast," from ex "out" (see ex-) + pectus (genitive pectoris) "breast" (see pectoral (adj.)). Its use as a euphemism for "spit" is recorded by 1827. The classical Latin figurative sense appears in English 17c. but is now obsolete. Related: Expectorated; expectorating.
expectoration (n.)
"act of discharging phlegm or mucus from the throat or lungs by coughing or hawking and spitting," 1670s, noun of action from expectorate.
expedient (adj.)
late 14c., "advantageous, fit, proper to a purpose," from Old French expedient "useful, beneficial" (14c.) or directly from Latin expedientem (nominative expediens) "beneficial," present participle of expedire "make fit or ready, prepare" (see expedite). The noun meaning "a device adopted in an exigency, that which serves to advance a desired result" is from 1650s. Related: Expediential; expedientially (both 19c.).
expediate (v.)
a 17c. error for expedite that has gotten into the dictionaries.
expedience (n.)
mid-15c., "advantage, benefit," from Old French expedience, from Late Latin expedientia, from expedientem (see expedient). From "that which is expedient," the sense tends toward "utilitarian wisdom." Meaning "quality of being expedient" is from 1610s. Related: Expediency (1610s).
expediently (adv.)
"in an expedient manner," late 14c., from expedient (adj.) + -ly (2).
expedition (n.)
early 15c., expedicioun, "military campaign; the act of rapidly setting forth," from Old French expedicion "an expediting, implementation; expedition, mission" (13c.) and directly from Latin expeditionem (nominative expeditio) "an enterprise against an enemy, a military campaign," noun of action from past-participle stem of expedire "make ready, prepare" (see expedite). Meaning "journey for some purpose" is from 1590s. Sense by 1690s also included the body of persons on such a journey.
expedite (v.)
"to remove impediments to the movement or progress of, accelerate the motion or progress of, hasten, quicken," 1610s, from Latin expeditus, past participle of expedire "extricate, disengage, liberate; procure, make ready, put in order, make fit, prepare; explain, make clear," literally "free the feet from fetters," hence to liberate from difficulties, from ex "out" (see ex-) + *pedis "fetter, chain for the feet," related to pes (genitive pedis) "foot" (from PIE root *ped- "foot"). Compare Greek pede "fetter." Related: Expedited; expediting.
expeditious (adj.)
late 15c., expedycius "useful, fitting," from Latin expeditus "disengaged, ready, convenient, prompt; unfettered, unencumbered," past participle of expedire (see expedite). Meaning "speedy, speedily accomplished" is from 1590s. Related: Expeditiously; expeditiousness.
expeditionary (adj.)
"pertaining to or being of the nature of an expedition," 1803, from expedition + -ary.
expel (v.)
late 14c., "cast out," from Latin expellere "drive out, drive away," from ex "out" (see ex-) + pellere "to drive" (according to Watkins from PIE root *pel- (5) "to thrust, strike, drive"). Specific meaning "to eject from a school" is recorded by 1640s. Related: Expelled; expelling.
expellee (n.)
expend (v.)
"to spend, pay out; to consume by use, spend in using," early 15c., expenden, from Latin expendere "pay out, weigh out money," from ex "out, out of" (see ex-) + pendere "to hang, cause to hang; weigh; pay" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin"). For the financial sense of the Latin verb, see pound (n.1). Related: Expended; expending.
expendable (adj.)
1805, "that can be consumed by use," from expend + -able. By 1942 in the military sense, especially of men, "that may be sacrificed to attain an objective."
expenditure (n.)
1769, "act of expending," from Medieval Latin expenditus, irregular past participle of Latin expendere "to weigh out; to pay out" (see expend) + -ure. Meaning "that which is expended" is from 1791. Related: Expenditures.
expenses (n.)
"charges incurred in the discharge of duty," late 14c. See expense (n.).
expensive (adj.)
1620s, "given to profuse expenditure," from expense (n.) + -ive. Meaning "costly, requiring profuse expenditure" is from 1630s. Earlier was expenseful (c. 1600). Expenseless was in use mid-17c.-18c., but there seems now nothing notable to which it applies, and the dictionaries label it "obsolete." Related: Expensively; expensiveness.
expense (n.)
also formerly expence, late 14c., "action of spending or giving away, a laying out or expending," also "funds provided for expenses, expense money; damage or loss from any cause," from Anglo-French expense, Old French espense "money provided for expenses," from Late Latin expensa "disbursement, outlay, expense," noun use of neuter plural past participle of Latin expendere "weigh out money, pay down," from ex "out, out of" (see ex-) + pendere "to hang, cause to hang; weigh; pay" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin"). For the financial sense of the Latin verb, see pound (n.1).
Latin spensa also yielded Medieval Latin spe(n)sa, the sense of which specialized to "outlay for provisions," then "provisions, food" before it was borrowed into Old High German as spisa and became the root of German Speise "food," now mostly meaning prepared food, and speisen "to eat." Expense account is from 1872.
expense (v.)
"offset (an expenditure) against an income," 1909, from expense (n.). Related: Expensed; expensing.
experience (n.)
late 14c., "observation as the source of knowledge; actual observation; an event which has affected one," from Old French esperience "experiment, proof, experience" (13c.), from Latin experientia "a trial, proof, experiment; knowledge gained by repeated trials," from experientem (nominative experiens) "experienced, enterprising, active, industrious," present participle of experiri "to try, test," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + peritus "experienced, tested," from PIE *per-yo-, suffixed form of root *per- (3) "to try, risk." Meaning "state of having done something and gotten handy at it" is from late 15c.
experience (v.)
1530s, "to test, try, learn by practical trial or proof;" see experience (n.). Sense of "feel, undergo" first recorded 1580s. Related: Experienced; experiences; experiencing.
experiment (n.)
mid-14c., "action of observing or testing; an observation, test, or trial;" also "piece of evidence or empirical proof; feat of magic or sorcery," from Old French esperment "practical knowledge, cunning; enchantment, magic spell; trial, proof, example; lesson, sign, indication," from Latin experimentum "a trial, test, proof, experiment," noun of action from experiri "to try, test," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + peritus "experienced, tested," from PIE *per-yo-, suffixed form of root *per- (3) "to try, risk."
experiment (v.)
"make trial, operate (on something) so as to discover some unknown fact or to establish it when known," late 15c., from experiment (n.). Intransitive sense by 1787. Related: Experimented; experimenting.
experienced (adj.)
"having experience, taught by practice, skillful through doing," 1570s, past-participle adjective from experience (v.).
experiential (adj.)
"relating to or having experience, derived from experience, empirical," 1640s (implied in experientially), from Latin experientia "knowledge gained by testing or trials" (see experience (n.)) + -al (1).
experimentation (n.)
"the act or practice of making experiments, the process of experimenting," 1670s, noun of action from experiment (v.).
experimental (adj.)
mid 15c., "having experience," from experiment (n.) + -al (1). Meaning "based on experiment" is from 1560s. Meaning "for the sake of experiment" is from 1792.
expert (adj.)
late 14c., "having had experience; skillful," from Old French expert, espert "experienced, practiced, skilled" and directly from Latin expertus (contracted from *experitus), "tried, proved, known by experience," past participle of experiri "to try, test," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + peritus "experienced, tested," from PIE *per-yo-, suffixed form of root *per- (3) "to try, risk." The adjective tends to be accented on the second syllable, the noun on the first. Related: Expertly; expertness.
expert (n.)
early 15c., "person wise through experience," from expert (adj.). The word reappeared 1825 in the legal sense, "person who, by virtue of special acquired knowledge or experience on a subject, presumably not within the knowledge of men generally, may testify in a court of justice to matters of opinion thereon, as distinguished from ordinary witnesses, who can in general testify only to facts" [Century Dictionary].
expertise (n.)
"quality or state of being an expert," 1868, from French expertise (16c.) "expert appraisal, expert's report," from expert (see expert (adj.)). Earlier and more English was expertness (c. 1600).
experto crede
Latin, "take it from one who knows" ("Aeneid," xi.283); dative singular of expertus (see expert (adj.)) + imperative singular of credere "to believe" (see credo).
expiation (n.)
"act of making satisfaction or reparation for an offense, atonement, reparation," early 15c., expiacioun, from Latin expiationem (nominative expiatio) "satisfaction, atonement," noun of action from past-participle stem of expiare "make amends for, atone for; purge by sacrifice, make good," from ex- "completely" (see ex-) + piare "propitiate, appease," from pius "faithful, loyal, devout" (see pious).
expiate (v.)
c. 1600 (OED 2nd ed. print entry has a typographical error in the earliest date), from Latin expiatus, past participle of expiare "to make amends, atone for" (see expiation). Related: Expiable (1560s); expiated; expiating.
expiatory (adj.)
"having the power to make atonement," 1540s, from Late Latin expiatorius, from expiat-, past-participle stem of Latin expiare "make amends" (see expiation).
expire (v.)
c. 1400, "to die," from Old French expirer "expire, elapse" (12c.), from Latin expirare/exspirare "breathe out, blow out, exhale; breathe one's last, die," hence, figuratively, "expire, come to an end, cease," from ex "out" (see ex-) + spirare "to breathe" (see spirit (n.)). "Die" is the older sense in English; that of "breathe out" is attested from 1580s. Of laws, patents, treaties, etc., mid-15c. In 17c. also transitive. Related: Expired; expiring.
expiration (n.)
early 15c., expiracioun, "vapor, breath," from Latin expirationem/exspirationem (nominative expiratio/exspiratio) "a breathing out, exhalation," noun of action from past-participle stem of expirare/exspirare "breathe out; breathe one's last" (see expire). Meaning "termination, end, close" is from 1560s.
expiry (n.)
"close, termination," 1752, from expire + -y (4). Meaning "dying, death" is from 1790.
explain (v.)
early 15c., explanen, "make (something) clear in the mind, to make intelligible," from Latin explanare "to explain, make clear, make plain," etymologically "make level, flatten out," from ex "out" (see ex-) + planus "flat" (from PIE root *pele- (2) "flat; to spread").
The spelling was altered by influence of plain. Also see plane (v.2). In 17c., occasionally used more literally, of the unfolding of material things: Evelyn has buds that "explain into leaves" ["Sylva, or, A discourse of forest-trees, and the propagation of timber in His Majesties dominions," 1664]. Related: Explained; explaining; explains. To explain (something) away "to deprive of significance by explanation, nullify or get rid of the apparent import of," generally with an adverse implication, is from 1709.
explainable (adj.)
"capable of being explained or made plain," c. 1600, from explain + -able.
explanation (n.)
"an act of explaining; a meaning or interpretation assigned," late 14c., explanacioun, from Latin explanationem (nominative explanatio) "an explanation, interpretation," noun of action from past-participle stem of explanare "to make plain or clear, explain," literally "make level, flatten," from ex "out" (see ex-) + planus "flat" (from PIE root *pele- (2) "flat; to spread").
explanatory (adj.)
"serving to explain, containing explanation," 1610s, from or modeled on Late Latin explanatorius "having to do with an explanation," from Latin explanat-, past-participle stem of explanare "make plain or clear" (see explanation).
expletive (n.)
1610s, "a word or phrase serving to fill out a sentence or metrical line," from French explétif (15c.) and directly from Late Latin expletivus "serving to fill out," from explet- past-participle stem of Latin explere "fill out, fill up, glut," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + plere "to fill" (from PIE root *pele- (1) "to fill").
Sense of "an exclamation," especially "a curse word, an oath," first recorded 1815 in Sir Walter Scott, popularized by edited transcripts of Watergate tapes (mid-1970s), in which expletive deleted replaced President Nixon's salty expressions. As an adjective, from 1660s.
expletive (adj.)
mid-15c., in grammar, "correlative," from Latin expletivus "serving to fill out" (see expletive (n.)).
explication (n.)
"explanation," especially of the meaning of a sentence or passage, literally "an unfolding," 1520s, from French explication, from Latin explicationem (nominative explicatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of explicare "unfold; explain," from ex "out" (see ex-) + plicare "to fold" (from PIE root *plek- "to plait").
explicative (adj.)
1640s, "having the function of explaining," from Latin explicativus, from explicat-, past participle stem of explicare "unfold; explain," from ex "out" (see ex-) + plicare "to fold" (from PIE root *plek- "to plait"). As a noun, from 1775.
explicate (v.)
"give a detailed account of," 1530s, from Latin explicatus, past participle of explicare "unfold, unravel, explain," from ex "out" (see ex-) + plicare "to fold" (from PIE root *plek- "to plait"). Related: Explicated; explicating.
explicable (adj.)
"capable of being made clear or explained," literally "capable of being unfolded," 1550s, from or modeled on Latin explicabilis "capable of being unraveled, that may be explained," from explicare "unfold; explain," from ex "out" (see ex-) + plicare "to fold" (from PIE root *plek- "to plait"). Middle English had a verb expliken "explain, interpret" (mid-15c.). Related: Explicably.
explicit (adj.)
1610s, "open to the understanding, not obscure or ambiguous," from French explicite, from Latin explicitus "unobstructed," variant past participle of explicare "unfold, unravel, explain," from ex "out" (see ex-) + plicare "to fold" (from PIE root *plek- "to plait").
As a euphemism for "pornographic" it dates from 1971 (phrases such as sexually explicit are earlier). Related: Explicitness. "Explicitus" was written at the end of medieval books, originally short for explicitus est liber "the book is unrolled."
explicitly (adv.)
"plainly, without disguise or reservation of meaning, not by inference; clearly, unmistakably," 1630s, from explicit + -ly (2). Opposed to implicitly.
explode (v.)
1530s (transitive), "to reject with scorn," from Latin explodere "drive out or off by clapping, hiss off, hoot off," originally theatrical, "to drive an actor off the stage by making noise," hence "drive out, reject, destroy the repute of" (a sense surviving in an exploded theory), from ex "out" (see ex-) + plaudere "to clap the hands, applaud," which is of uncertain origin. Athenian audiences were highly demonstrative. clapping and shouting approval, stamping, hissing, and hooting for disapproval. The Romans seem to have done likewise.
English used it to mean "drive out with violence and sudden noise" (1650s), later "cause to burst suddenly and noisily" (1794). Intransitive sense of "go off with a loud noise" is from 1790, American English; figurative sense of "to burst with destructive force" is by 1882; that of "burst into sudden activity" is from 1817; of population by 1959. Related: Exploded; exploding.
exploit (n.)
late 14c., "outcome of an action," from Old French esploit "a carrying out; achievement, result; gain, advantage" (12c., Modern French exploit), a very common word, used in senses of "action, deed, profit, achievement," from Latin explicitum "a thing settled, ended, or displayed," noun use of neuter of explicitus, past participle of explicare "unfold, unroll, disentangle," from ex "out" (see ex-) + plicare "to fold" (from PIE root *plek- "to plait").
Meaning "feat, achievement" is c. 1400. Sense evolution is from "unfolding" to "bringing out" to "having advantage" to "achievement." Related: Exploits.