exemplar

noun

ex·​em·​plar ig-ˈzem-ˌplär 

-plər,

eg-

: one that serves as a model or example: such as

a

: an ideal model

b

: a typical or standard specimen

an exemplar of medieval architecture

c

: a copy of a book or writing

d

: idea sense 4c

Synonyms

• case
• example
• exemplification
• illustration
• instance
• prototype
• representative
• sample
• specimen

Choose the Right Synonym for exemplar

model, example, pattern, exemplar, ideal mean someone or something set before one for guidance or imitation.

model applies to something taken or proposed as worthy of imitation.

a decor that is a model of good taste

example applies to a person to be imitated or in some contexts on no account to be imitated but to be regarded as a warning.

children tend to follow the example of their parents

pattern suggests a clear and detailed archetype or prototype.

American industry set a pattern for others to follow

exemplar suggests either a faultless example to be emulated or a perfect typification.

cited Joan of Arc as the exemplar of courage

ideal implies the best possible exemplification either in reality or in conception.

never found a job that matched his ideal

Examples of exemplar in a Sentence

cited Joan of Arc as the exemplar of courage

He is an exemplar of this new breed of politician.

Recent Examples on the Web

By this point in the book’s life, its status as an exemplar of fiction that upends expectations tips the reader off that there’s something unusual about it. —Tajja Isen, The Atlantic, 11 Dec. 2024

Yet in the years since, many of the most popular exemplars of the form have been, to one degree or another, debunked — or at least reframed: A Million Little Pieces, Running With Scissors, Three Cups of Tea. —Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Nov. 2024

Later, once the federal government agreed that, in the matter of public schools, separate was, indeed, unequal, those schools that had once been shining exemplars of academic excellence somehow became the understaffed, underresourced, underequipped institutions Black folks were trying to escape. —Andrea Williams, The Tennessean, 26 Apr. 2024

The story of Israel provided the perfect exemplar, a way to couch an outsider’s argument in an insider’s language. —Daniel Bergner, The Atlantic, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, from exemplum example

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

exemplar

noun

ex·​em·​plar ig-ˈzem-ˌplär 

-plər

1

: one that serves as a model or pattern

especially : an ideal model

2

: a typical example