exodus

American  

[ek-suh-duhs] / ˈɛk sə dəs /

noun

1. a going out; a departure or emigration, usually of a large number of people.

   the summer exodus to the country and shore.

2. the Exodus, the departure of the Israelites from Egypt under Moses.

3. (initial capital letter) the second book of the Bible, containing an account of the Exodus. Ex.

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exodus ¹ British  

/ ˈɛksədəs /

noun

1. the act or an instance of going out

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Exodus ² British  

/ ˈɛksədəs /

noun

1. the departure of the Israelites from Egypt led by Moses

2. the second book of the Old Testament, recounting the events connected with this and the divine visitation of Moses at Mount Sinai

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Exodus Cultural  

1. The second book of the Old Testament; it tells of the departure of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt (see also Egypt), made possible by the ten plagues of Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. Moses led them, and their destination was the Promised Land. God guided them by sending a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to show them the way they should go. God also fed them with manna and gave them water out of a solid rock. Because of their frequent complaining and failure to trust him, however, God made them stay in the desert for forty years before entering the Promised Land. God gave them the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Mosaic law on Mount Sinai during the Exodus. Exodus is a Greek word meaning “departure.”

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Etymology

Origin of exodus

First recorded before 1000; from Late Latin, the name of the second book of the Bible, from Greek éxodos “a going out, marching out,” equivalent to ex- “out of” + (h)odós “way”; see ex- ³

Explanation

If the fire alarm goes off in your building, be sure to join the exodus of people who are heading outside to the parking lot. This is a departure of a large number of people. Exodus is the title of the second book of the Bible’s Old Testament in which the Israelites escape slavery in Egypt, but the term can refer to any sudden departure of a group of people. This noun is often coupled with the adjective mass, as in “mass exodus,” which usually indicates that almost everyone leaves at the same time. The reasons for this departure can be hostile, as during a war, or not, as when everyone exits the movie theater after the show's over.

Example Sentences

That historic exodus helped turn South Korea into a stronghold of the Christian faith and one of the world’s biggest exporters of missionaries.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

The exodus suggests that the people were withdrawing their funds and sending them to overseas crypto exchanges that typically draw tokens from Iranian accounts during moments of instability, Elliptic said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

But Walsh doesn’t see it as a widespread issue and calls the exodus more a sign of some investors wanting liquidity.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

I am sure I am not alone in seeking clarity around the issue of the exodus of local talent to Missouri, Oregon State, Texas, North Carolina, Nevada, and even more confounding, USC.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

The exodus continued, fueled by growing dismay in the Rad Lab at Lawrence’s refusal to oppose the oath.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• departure
• evacuation
• flight
• migration
• withdrawal