exodus

noun

ex·​o·​dus ˈek-sə-dəs How to pronounce exodus (audio) ˈeg-zə- How to pronounce exodus (audio)
1
capitalized : 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.”

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the past month, many of these universities have been ordered to relinquish their academic independence, stripped of federal funds, had their students seized on the streets, and watched as faculty have begun an exodus to foreign academic institutions beyond the reach of the U.S. government. Drew Bernstein, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 More from Personal Finance: Consumers are spending as trade wars raise recession risk Where young adults are most likely to live with parents Consumers making financial changes in response to tariffs The exodus in Q1 marked the 10th consecutive quarter of outflows. Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2025 The Pentagon on Friday announced four new senior advisers for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following front office infighting that saw the exodus of five senior staff in the past several weeks. Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 25 Apr. 2025 Soaring housing costs, with many homes nearing $1 million, have set off an exodus from major cities and put pressure on the next prime minister. Justin Porter, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exodus

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of exodus was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Exodus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exodus. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

exodus

noun
ex·​o·​dus ˈek-səd-əs How to pronounce exodus (audio)
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"

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