except

¹

[ ik-sept ]

preposition

1. with the exclusion of; excluding; save; but:

   They were all there except me.

conjunction

1. only; with the exception (usually followed by that ):

   parallel cases except that one is younger than the other.

2. otherwise than; but (followed by an adv., phrase, or clause):

   well fortified except here.

3. Archaic. unless.

except

²

[ ik-sept ]

verb (used with object)

1. to exclude from or leave out of a particular category:

   Surveys that are used exclusively for certain educational purposes are excepted from these requirements.

verb (used without object)

1. to object (usually followed by to or against ):

   to except to a statement;

   to except against a witness.

except

/ ɪkˈsɛpt /

preposition

1. Alsoexcept for other than; apart from; with the exception of

   he likes everyone except you

   except for this mistake, you did very well

2. except that
   conjunction but for the fact that; were it not true that

conjunction

1. an archaic word for unless
2. informal.
   except that; but for the fact that

   I would have arrived earlier, except I lost my way

verb

1. tr to leave out; omit; exclude
2. rare.
   introften foll byto to take exception; object

Confusables Note

See accept.

Other Words From

• ex·cept·a·ble adjective
• un·ex·cept·a·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of except¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English: originally, past participle, from Latin exceptus (past participle of excipere “to take out”), equivalent to ex- + -ceptus (combining form of captus, past participle of capere “to take”); ex- ¹

Origin of except²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English excepten, from Middle French excepter, from Latin exceptāre, derivative of exceptus ( except ¹ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of except¹

C14: from Old French excepter to leave out, from Latin exceptāre, from excipere to take out, from capere to take

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. except for, if it were not for:

   She would travel more except for lack of money.

Synonym Study

Except (more rarely excepting ), but, save point out something excluded from a general statement. Except emphasizes the excluding: Take any number except 12. But merely states the exclusion: We ate all but one. Save is now mainly found in poetic use: nothing in sight save sky and sea.

Example Sentences

The population should have begun to stabilize, except there was a new form of growth: immigration.

From Salon

Nobody except Emily Eavis knows who'll be headlining next year - but rumours are rumours, and everybody enjoys speculating about the line-up.

From BBC

“I felt just awful. I remember racking my brain because I didn’t know what to do. I often explain that autism for me feels like everyone read this social skills rule book except for me, but I’m still expected to take the test. At that moment, I felt at a loss.”

From Los Angeles Times

Except it wasn’t a terrifying beast — it was a person in a bear costume using a kitchen tool designed to shred meat, authorities said.

From Los Angeles Times

For next 40 years, he worked there, except for a four-year stint as U.S. solicitor general representing the Bush administration.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• save