exile

[ eg-zahyl, ek-sahyl ]

noun

1. expulsion from one's native land by authoritative decree.
2. the fact or state of expulsion from one's native land by authoritative decree:

   She had to live in exile.

3. a person banished from their native land.
4. prolonged separation from one's country or home, such as by force of circumstances:

   Many will suffer wartime exile.

5. anyone separated from their country or home voluntarily or by force of circumstances.
6. the Exile, the Babylonian captivity of the Jews, 597–538 b.c.

verb (used with object)

, ex·iled, ex·il·ing.

1. to expel or banish (a person) from their country; expatriate.

   Synonyms: deport, eject, evict

2. to separate from country, home, etc.:

   Disagreements exiled him from his family.

   Synonyms: deport, eject, evict

exile

¹

/ ˈɛksaɪl; ɛɡˈzɪlɪk; ɛkˈsɪlɪk; ˈɛɡzaɪl /

noun

1. a prolonged, usually enforced absence from one's home or country; banishment
2. the expulsion of a person from his native land by official decree
3. a person banished or living away from his home or country; expatriate

verb

1. to expel from home or country, esp by official decree as a punishment; banish

Exile

²

/ ˈɛɡzaɪl; ˈɛksaɪl /

noun

1. the Exile
   another name for Babylonian captivity

Derived Forms

• exilic, adjective

Other Words From

• exil·a·ble adjective
• exil·er noun
• quasi-exiled adjective
• un·exiled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of exile¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English exil “banishment,” from Latin ex(s)ilium, equivalent to exsul “banished person” + -ium -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of exile¹

C13: from Latin exsilium banishment, from exsul banished person; perhaps related to Greek alasthai to wander

Example Sentences

For that forest to prosper, many of the pre-existing flora and fauna have been decimated or exiled.

From Salon

When Mahama was just seven, his father, a government minister, was jailed during a military coup and later went into exile.

From BBC

Sir Keir noted that Putin had been absent from the G20 for the third year running, adding he was “the author of his own exile”.

From BBC

Many members of Russia's opposition have been exiled since the Kremlin escalated its crackdown on dissent, jailing hundreds - perhaps thousands - of people for their political views.

From BBC

This ignores entirely the decision to move the party to the center to accommodate Liz Cheney and her small army of disaffected Republicans who had been exiled from their own party.

From Salon

Related Words

• expatriate
• fugitive
• refugee