ex

¹

[ eks ]

preposition

1. Finance. without, not including, or without the right to have:

   ex interest; ex rights.

2. Commerce. free of charges to the purchaser until the time of removal from a specified place or thing:

   ex ship; ex warehouse; ex elevator.

3. (in U.S. colleges and universities) from, but not graduated with, the class of:

   ex '47.

ex-

²

1. a prefix meaning “out of,” “from,” and hence “utterly,” “thoroughly,” and sometimes meaning “not” or “without” or indicating a former title, status, etc.; freely used as an English formative: exstipulate; exterritorial; ex-president (former president); ex-member; ex-wife .

ex

³

[ eks ]

noun

, Informal.

1. a former spouse or a former partner in a long-term romantic relationship; ex-wife, ex-husband, or ex-lover.

ex-

⁴

1. variant of exo-.

ex

⁵

[ eks ]

noun

1. the letter X, x.

ex-

⁶

1. a prefix identical in meaning with ex- 1, occurring before vowels in words of Greek origin: exarch; exegesis .

ex

⁷

[ eks ]

adjective

, Slang.

1. excellent ( def 1 ).

EX

⁸

abbreviation for

1. Biology, Ecology. extinct ( def 2 ).

ex.

⁹

abbreviation for

1. examination.
2. examined.
3. example.
4. except.
5. exception.
6. exchange.
7. excursion.
8. executed.
9. executive.
10. express.
11. extra.

Ex.

¹⁰

abbreviation for

, Bible.

1. Exodus.

ex-

¹

prefix

1. out of; outside of; from

   exurbia

   exclosure

2. former

   ex-wife

ex-

²

combining_form

1. a variant of exo-

   exergonic

Ex.

³

abbreviation for

1. Exodus

ex

⁴

/ ɛks /

noun

1. informal.
   (a person's) former wife, husband, etc
2. short for examination

ex

⁵

/ ɛks /

preposition

1. finance not participating in; excluding; without

   ex dividend

   ex rights

   ex bonus

2. commerce without charge to the buyer until removed from

   ex works

   ex ship

   ex quay

Word History and Origins

Origin of ex¹

First recorded in 1835–45; from Latin; ex- ¹

Origin of ex²

< Latin, combining form of ex, ē (preposition) out (of ), from, beyond

Origin of ex³

First recorded in 1820–30; by shortening

Origin of ex⁴

From Greek combining form of ex, ek, “out (of), from, beyond”; ec-, ex- ¹

Origin of ex⁵

First recorded in 1920–25; by shortening

Word History and Origins

Origin of ex¹

from Latin, from ex (prep), identical in meaning and origin with Greek ex, ek; see ec-

Origin of ex²

C19: from Latin: out of, from

Example Sentences

Friends have told me of being randomly shown romantic holiday pictures taken with an ex who broke their heart, or of a deceased family member while they were trying to grieve.

From Slate

Perhaps the biggest issue with memory prompts isn’t being awkwardly reminded of an ex, or a dead plant, but how they keep us hooked on the past.

From Slate

"My ex actually signed me up without telling me," they say.

From BBC

Elsewhere on the podcast, the “Trolls” star said that she moved away from comedy and into true-crime stories due to her “shocking and traumatic” experience with an abusive ex.

From Los Angeles Times

But maybe she just doesn’t like her ex’s mother.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• earlier
• early
• late
• old
• preceding
• previous
• prior
• recent