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

The board’s decision to rename the center was followed by an exodus of artists who backed out of events, including Philip Glass and Renee Fleming. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026

Gamage argued the warnings of mass exodus following Massachusetts’ 2022 millionaires’ tax and Washington’s 2021 capital gains tax hadn’t been borne out. —Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026

Honoring tradition Just as Passover tells the story of the ancient Israelites’ exodus and liberation, the use of Ladino today is a story of survival. —Bryan Kirschen, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026

Experts warn that the exodus of mental health care providers from the VA has hurt the agency’s ability to meet veterans’ unique needs. —Vernal Coleman, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 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"