exodus

noun

ex·​o·​dus ˈek-sə-dəs  ˈeg-zə- 

1

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

2

: a mass departure : emigration

Did you know?

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.”

Synonyms

• gush
• outflow
• outpour
• outpouring

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

Weir’s assistant technical director took over as head of recruitment after Sam Jewell joined the exodus to Chelsea in May 2024. —The Athletic Uk Staff, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025

Despite the majority of the judging panel guessing the singer's identity correctly (Gray appeared in three episodes in the Toad in the Hole mask), Gray's competitor in the Bear mask was favored, prompting her dramatic exodus. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 13 Jan. 2025

The exodus of students resulted in a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in state revenue. —Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 13 Jan. 2025

The Palisades and Eaton fires, among the most destructive in California’s history, erupted as the state was already grappling with an exodus of insurance companies, who are increasingly pulling out of the region as wildfires become more frequent and ferocious. —Debra Kamin, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Exodos, literally, road out, from ex- + hodos road

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

exodus

noun

ex·​o·​dus ˈek-səd-əs 

1

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

2

: a mass departure

Etymology

from Latin Exodus "a book of the Bible," derived from Greek exodos "a road or journey out," from ex- "out" and hodos "road"