exposition

[ ek-spuh-zish-uhn ]

noun

1. a large-scale public exhibition or show, as of art or manufactured products:

   an exposition of 19th-century paintings; an automobile exposition.

   Synonyms: presentation, display, demonstration, exhibit

2. the act of expounding, setting forth, or explaining:

   the exposition of a point of view.

3. writing or speech primarily intended to convey information or to explain; a detailed statement or explanation; explanatory treatise:

   The students prepared expositions on familiar essay topics.

   Synonyms: elucidation, explication, exegesis, interpretation, critique, commentary

4. the act of presenting to view; display:

   The singer gave a splendid exposition of vocal talent.

5. exposure ( def 12 ).
6. the state of being uncovered, revealed, or otherwise exposed; exposure.
7. Music. the first section of a fugue or a sonata form, in which the principal themes normally are introduced.
8. (in a play, novel, etc.) dialogue, description, etc., that gives the audience or reader the background of the characters and the present situation.

exposition

/ ˌɛkspəˈzɪʃən /

noun

1. a systematic, usually written statement about, commentary on, or explanation of a specific subject
2. the act of expounding or setting forth information or a viewpoint
3. a large public exhibition, esp of industrial products or arts and crafts
4. the act of exposing or the state of being exposed
5. the part of a play, novel, etc, in which the theme and main characters are introduced
6. music the first statement of the subjects or themes of a movement in sonata form or a fugue
7. RC Church the exhibiting of the consecrated Eucharistic Host or a relic for public veneration

Derived Forms

• ˌexpoˈsitional, adjective

Other Words From

• expo·sition·al adjective
• preex·po·sition noun
• reex·po·sition noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of exposition¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English exposicioun, exposicyon, from Old French exposition, from Latin expositiōn- (stem of expositiō “exposure (of an infant to die); statement, description),” equivalent to exposit(us); + -iōn- ; expose, -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of exposition¹

C14: from Latin expositiō a setting forth, from expōnere to display; see exponent

Example Sentences

Foreign policy briefing Today’s WorldView and a suite of 202-branded politics newsletters contain more analysis and exposition from their authors.

From Digiday

It’s not Old’s constant exposition that’s the problem so much as the unending, clunky over-explanation.

From Vox

According to a Rolling Stone profile of Thompson, the filmmakers determined the moment distracted from the scene’s exposition.

From Time

My favorite ranks this low in the first game mostly because she suffers from having to be an exposition machine for two entire races — the Quarians and the Geth.

From Washington Post

Tali, who is now untethered from exposition duty, gets the best loyalty mission in the game.

From Washington Post

All this shows the real problem when telling the story of geniuses: exposition.

From The Daily Beast

In the hands of a lessor actor, she might have even seemed like an exposition machine.

From The Daily Beast

Recently, ProPublica wrote a deep and haunting exposition on the re-segregation of schools in the South, including Tuscaloosa.

From The Daily Beast

The New American Commentary: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture, Volume 1A, Genesis 1-11:26.

From The Daily Beast

Those bored by exposition who like action and dialogue written in the present tense will eat these up.

From The Daily Beast

"Chanson," exhibited at the Paris Exposition, 1900, displays something of the same quality.

From Project Gutenberg

To guide his mind into the channel of the printed exposition, he calls into play the Directory power of the attention.

From Project Gutenberg

Martin Falleix obtained a brevet for invention and a gold medal at the Exposition of 1824.

From Project Gutenberg

Following description, in order of difficulty, come exposition and argument.

From Project Gutenberg

The expression of such thoughts would be exposition, although it might contain a number of stories and descriptions.

From Project Gutenberg