exodus

noun

ex·o·dus ˈek-sə-dəs

ˈeg-zə-

Synonyms of exodus next

capitalized : the mainly narrative second book of canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture see Bible Table

: a mass departure : emigration

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Don't Leave Without the History of Exodos

The Biblical book of Exodus describes the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, so it's no surprise that the word exodus, uncapitalized, has come to refer more generally to any mass departure. Exodus was adopted into English (via Latin) from the Greek word Exodos, which literally means “the road out.” Exodos was formed by combining the prefix ex-, meaning “out of,” and hodos, meaning “road” or “way.” Indeed, many roads led out of hodos into English; other hodos descendants include episode, method, odometer, and period. While exodus is occasionally encountered in reference to an individual’s leaving (e.g., “his/her/their exodus”), such usage is likely to raise the eyebrows of editors who feel it should only refer to the departure en masse of a large group of people, as when novelist Nnedi Okorafor writes in her science fiction novel Lagoon (2015): “Everyone was trying to get somewhere, be it a church, a bar, home or out of Lagos. Then there was the exodus of people … to the parts of the city that had the least chance of flooding if the water rose too high.”

Examples of exodus in a Sentence

the mass exodus from the cities for the beaches and the mountains on most summer weekends

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The post does not elaborate on the reasons for the X exodus but the political leanings of CEO Elon Musk, one of the most prominent supporters of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, are likely a factor. —

Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024 In a country where everything is broken and the exodus won’t cease, who deserves what property? —

Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 Oct. 2024 The lack of long-term rental properties and affordable housing is one of the main reasons for the exodus. —

Julia Buckley, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024 This has led to intense employee backlash and the potential for a massive exodus of talent. —

Kara Dennison, Sphr, Cprw, Ec, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for exodus