exposition

noun

ex·​po·​si·​tion ˌek-spə-ˈzi-shən How to pronounce exposition (audio)
1
: a setting forth of the meaning or purpose (as of a writing)
2
a
: discourse or an example of it designed to convey information or explain what is difficult to understand
b(1)
: the first part of a musical composition in sonata form in which the thematic material of the movement is presented
(2)
: the opening section of a fugue
3
: a public exhibition or show
expositional adjective

Examples of exposition in a Sentence

This is not an easy book, and the reader may find the layers of detail challenging. There are long expositions of the knotty tangles of monarchical lineage, and the necessary chronicle of historical events occasionally consumes the novel's narrative drive. Lucy Lethbridge, Commonweal, 23 Oct. 2009
He is masterly in absorbing information and masterful in organizing it—skeptical of fashion, clear in exposition, fluent in communication, unremittingly scholarly. Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, New York Times Book Review, 11 June 2000
Although they were invited to use an early X ray machine on display at the exposition, they turned down the offer, and they never found the bullet. T. Burton Smith, American Heritage, September 1992
The subject requires some exposition. a clear exposition of his ideas
Recent Examples on the Web In an unorthodox move, the lawsuit’s introduction is written in the style of dramatic exposition: Betrayals are always sinister, but the closer the betrayer, the greater the evil. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024 Arizona's first state fair was held in late 1800s The first state fairs were called expositions and celebrated the state's agricultural bounty. Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 20 Sep. 2024 An 1891 flood forced the expositions to stop for nearly a decade. Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 20 Sep. 2024 Perversely, however, the streaming era has become almost as dependent on dropping clunky exposition as the old broadcast net- works were, simply because for many viewers, what’s on Netflix becomes background noise. Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for exposition 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exposition.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see exposit

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of exposition was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near exposition

Cite this Entry

“Exposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exposition. Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

exposition

noun
ex·​po·​si·​tion ˌek-spə-ˈzish-ən How to pronounce exposition (audio)
1
: an explanation of something
2
: a piece of writing that explains
3
: the first part of a piece of music in which the theme is presented
4
: a public exhibition
expositor
ik-ˈspäz-ət-ər
noun
expository
ik-ˈspäz-ə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on exposition

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