exodus

noun

ex·​o·​dus ˈek-sə-dəs  ˈeg-zə- 

1

Exodus : the mainly narrative second book of canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture see Bible Table

2

: a mass departure : emigration

Did you know?

Don't Leave Without the History of Exodos

The Biblical book of Exodus describes the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, so it's no surprise that the word exodus, uncapitalized, has come to refer more generally to any mass departure. Exodus was adopted into English (via Latin) from the Greek word Exodos, which literally means “the road out.” Exodos was formed by combining the prefix ex-, meaning “out of,” and hodos, meaning “road” or “way.” Indeed, many roads led out of hodos into English; other hodos descendants include episode, method, odometer, and period. While exodus is occasionally encountered in reference to an individual’s leaving (e.g., “his/her/their exodus”), such usage is likely to raise the eyebrows of editors who feel it should only refer to the departure en masse of a large group of people, as when novelist Nnedi Okorafor writes in her science fiction novel Lagoon (2015): “Everyone was trying to get somewhere, be it a church, a bar, home or out of Lagos. Then there was the exodus of people … to the parts of the city that had the least chance of flooding if the water rose too high.”

Synonyms of exodus

• flow
• outflow
• outpouring

Examples of exodus in a Sentence

the mass exodus from the cities for the beaches and the mountains on most summer weekends

Recent Examples on the Web

Journalists, photographers and artists who were able to document the exodus in Cuba remember rafts being carried to the shore on the shoulders of their future passengers. —Sarah Moreno, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026

The ‘myth of mass exodus’ Building on its data showing New York office space is still in high demand, JLL argued that the robustness of New York’s business sector is also dependent on a steady supply of qualified labor, which indicates that high-quality talent still gravitates toward the city. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026

The layoffs are the latest to hit Hollywood, which has been hard hit by the exodus of film and TV jobs to other states and countries, a cutback in the number of films being released and media consolidation. —Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026

In his interview, Boutros bristled at criticism over the exodus of supervisors and mid-level prosecutors, saying there were myriad reasons for people to leave. —Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Exodos, literally, road out, from ex- + hodos road

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

exodus

noun

ex·​o·​dus ˈek-səd-əs 

1

capitalized : the mainly narrative second book of canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture see bible

2

: a mass departure

Etymology

from Latin Exodus "a book of the Bible," derived from Greek exodos "a road or journey out," from ex- "out" and hodos "road"