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

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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

Trump loyalists have roiled the Justice Department, shattering norms and leading to a mass exodus of veteran officials, but the 92-year-old chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has remained focused on the past. —Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 14 Dec. 2025

Traditional cable losses have slowed considerably, with operators like Comcast, Charter, et al losing 548,000 video subs in the most recent quarter versus an exodus of 931,000 in the year-ago period. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 Dec. 2025

Under his leadership, however, Venezuela descended into severe economic crisis, marked by hyperinflation, shortages of essential goods, and a massive exodus of citizens seeking stability abroad. —Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025

It’s considered the largest exodus in Cuban history, and its members are at risk of being deported back to the island. —Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 9 Dec. 2025

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"