ex

1 of 8

noun (1)

ˈeks 

: one that formerly held a specified position or place

especially : a former spouse or former partner in an intimate relationship

ex

2 of 8

noun (2)

: the letter x

ex

3 of 8

preposition

1

: out of : from: such as

a

: from a specified place or source

b

: from a specified dam

a promising calf by Eric XVI ex Heatherbell

2

: free from : without: such as

a

: without an indicated value or right

—used especially of securities

b

: free of charges precedent to removal from the specified place with purchaser to provide means of subsequent transportation

ex dock

ex

4 of 8

abbreviation (1)

1

example

2

exchange

3

executive

4

express

5

extra

Ex

5 of 8

abbreviation (2)

Exodus

ex-

6 of 8

prefix (1)

e

also occurs in this prefix where only i

is shown below (as in "express") and ks

sometimes occurs where only gz is shown (as in "exact")

1

: out of : outside

exclave

2

: not

exstipulate

3

(ˌ)eks, 

ˈeks

: former

ex-president

ex-

7 of 8

combining form

see exo-

ex-

8 of 8

prefix (2)

variants or before consonants ec-

: out of : away : off

eccentric

ectopic

Examples of ex in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And in North Carolina, a police officer was charged with unlawfully accessing computers after allegedly using her department’s license plate reader system to look up the vehicle of her boyfriend’s ex-wife 31 times, including twice while off duty. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026

Scott Dekraai, who was convicted of killing his ex-wife and seven others in a shooting at a Seal Beach beauty salon, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after a prosecution scandal involving his case. — Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

An even more literal family reunion also took place over the weekend, with Ye and ex-wife Kim Kardashian both attending their daughter North West’s first headlining show at the Vic Theatre in Chicago on September 5. — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026

An attorney for Patrick Clancy, whose ex-wife, Lindsay Clancy, is accused of killing the couple's three young children, issued a statement Tuesday calling for an end to conspiracy theories about the case that have spread largely on social media. — ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

ex- entry 1

Preposition

Latin

Prefix (1)

borrowed from Latin ex- (before vowels and voiceless consonants), ē- (from *egz-, before voiced consonants), from ex, ē, preposition, "out of, from," going back to Indo-European *h₁eḱ-s or *h₁eǵh-s, whence also Old Irish a, as "out of, from," Middle Welsh ech, Greek ex, ek, Lithuanian ìš, ìž, Old Church Slavic iz (with unexplained i in Balto-Slavic); (sense 3) borrowed from Late Latin, as in exconsul "former consul," based on Latin ex in the sense "from being, having formerly held (an office)," as in ex assessōre praefectus praetōriī "advanced from the position of judge's assistant to commander of the Praetorian Guard" (Suetonius)

Prefix (2)

borrowed from Greek ex-, ek-, from ex, ek, preposition, "out of, from" — more at ex- entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1827, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1818, in the meaning defined above

Preposition

circa 1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ex

• deus ex machina
• ex cathedra
• ex-con
• ex-directory
• ex gratia
• ex hypothesi
• ex libris
• ex nihilo
• ex officio
• ex parte
• ex post facto
• ex-voto
• go ex-directory

Rhymes for ex

• becks
• checks
• czechs
• decks
• dex
• flecks
• flex
• hex
• lex
• necks
• pecks
• plex

Kids Definition

ex-

1 of 2 prefix

(ˌ)eks, 

ˈeks

: former

ex-president

ex-

2 of 2

see exo-

Etymology

Prefix

from earlier ex- (prefix), from Latin ex- "out of, from"

Medical Definition

ex

abbreviation

1

examined

2

example

3

exercise

Legal Definition

ex-

1 of 2 prefix

: free from : without

Ex.

2 of 2 abbreviation

Exchequer

Etymology

Prefix

Latin ex from, out of