example

Meanings

Noun

• Something that is representative of all such things in a group.
• Something that serves to illustrate or explain a rule.
• Something that serves as a pattern of behaviour to be imitated (a good example) or not to be imitated (a bad example).
• A person punished as a warning to others.
• A parallel or closely similar case, especially when serving as a precedent or model.
• An instance (as a problem to be solved) serving to illustrate the rule or precept or to act as an exercise in the application of the rule.

Verb

• To be illustrated or exemplified (by).

Related

Similar words

• e.g.

Origin

• From Middle English exaumple, example, from Old French essample (French exemple), from Latin exemplum ("a sample, pattern, specimen, copy for imitation, etc."), from eximō, from ex + emō; see exempt. Displaced native Middle English bisne, forbus from Old English bȳsen, and Middle English byspel from Old English bīspell. exemplum, and sample.