ex
preposition
without, not including, or without the right to have.
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ex
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EX
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ex-
ex-a prefix meaning “out of,” “from,” and hence “utterly,” “thoroughly,” and sometimes meaning “not” or “without” or indicating a former title, status, etc.; freely used as an English formative: exstipulate; exterritorial; ex-president (former president); ex-member; ex-wife .
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ex.
ex.abbreviationexamination.
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Ex.
Ex.abbreviationExodus.
ex
1 American
[eks]
/ ɛks /
preposition
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Finance. without, not including, or without the right to have.
ex interest; ex rights.
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Commerce. free of charges to the purchaser until the time of removal from a specified place or thing.
ex ship; ex warehouse; ex elevator.
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(in U.S. colleges and universities) from, but not graduated with, the class of.
ex '47.
ex
2
American
[eks]
/ ɛks /
noun
Informal.
ex
3
American
[eks]
/ ɛks /
noun
ex
4
American
[eks]
/ ɛks /
adjective
Slang.
EX
5
American
abbreviation
ex-
6
American
ex-
7
American
ex-
8
American
ex.
9
American
abbreviation
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examination.
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examined.
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example.
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except.
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exception.
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exchange.
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excursion.
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executed.
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executive.
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express.
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extra.
Ex.
10
American
abbreviation
Bible.
ex-
1
British
prefix
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out of; outside of; from
exclosure
exurbia
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former
ex-wife
ex
2
British
/ ɛks /
preposition
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finance not participating in; excluding; without
ex bonus
ex dividend
ex rights
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commerce without charge to the buyer until removed from
ex quay
ex ship
ex works
ex
3
British
/ ɛks /
noun
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informal (a person's) former wife, husband, etc
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short for examination
Ex.
4
British
abbreviation
ex-
5
British
combining form
Etymology
Origin of ex1
First recorded in 1835–45; from Latin; see ex- 1
Origin of ex2
First recorded in 1820–30; by shortening
Origin of ex4
First recorded in 1920–25; by shortening
Origin of ex-6
< Latin, combining form of ex, ē (preposition) out (of ), from, beyond
Origin of ex-8
From Greek combining form of ex, ek, “out (of), from, beyond”; see ec-, ex- 1
Vocabulary lists containing ex
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Gov. Gavin Newsom, an ex officio regent who appoints most of the board, has not taken a position.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Her ex stopped paying child maintenance regularly five years ago, and is more than £10,000 in arrears.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
My ex and I had no children together, and after the divorce we had absolutely no contact.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
After an ex blocks them by phone and on social media, they can still send a one-cent transfer with a short message begging for forgiveness in the transaction description.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
“I am literally in there with my ex, Dylan.”
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
It added it would have a long bonnet to give it a "torpedo-shaped form", drawing inspiration from the company's experimental cars of the 1920s, known as EX models, and the Art Deco era.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026
The infalling matter collides with other material bound to the white dwarf, forming tall columns of hot gas that emit intense X-rays, making systems like EX Hydrae ideal targets for IXPE.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 8, 2026
Furthermore, the Sportage’s midlevel EX trim is still more affordable than the cheapest CR-V Hybrid and packs more features.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 22, 2023
He tells me it is my job to work it out with his EX.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 6, 2022
When L is substituted it will be observed that the English prefix EX means "out of," and that, therefore, Esperanto logically uses the preposition EL, meaning "out of," as the prefix.
From The International Auxiliary Language Esperanto Grammar and Commentary by George Cox
“Integrating Europe’s capital markets to better channel high household savings towards productive investments in the EU will be essential,” ex- European Central Bank President Mario Draghi concluded in his landmark 2024 report on continental competitiveness.
From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026
He established that Natalie's dog River was a puppy of her ex- boyfriend's dog and that the former couple had, for a time, lived together in her Silverwood Green home.
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026
The iHeartMedia release added that the ex- “GMA” personalities — who have since been replaced — will work together on additional iHeartPodcasts programming.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2023
An ex- commander of the rebel Free Syrian Army was also sanctioned.
From Reuters ● Mar. 28, 2023
Raymond Clayborn returned a touchdown ninety-five yards for a score in that game, indicating that when it came to football, Darrell Royal had shrewdly gauged the ex- pendability of Joe Bob Bizzell.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
“And weird that you’re friends with your ex. Why do you need so much male attention? It’s a huge red flag. I mean, haven’t you seen ‘When Harry Met Sally’?
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2024
“On the outside world, I would never date a friend’s ex. I would never befriend your ex.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2023
“A lot of people I’ve talked to are saying this reminds me of my ex. This reminds me of how my ex responded to the breakup,” she said.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 13, 2022
Melania responded with a statement including the lines: "There is clearly no substance to this statement from an ex. Unfortunately only attention seeking and self-serving noise."
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2017
Cr. 8vo, cl. ex., 3s. 6d. each; post 8vo, illust. bds., 2s. each; cl. limp, 2s. 6d. each.
From The Ivory Gate, a new edition by Sir Walter Besant
Ex.: “...then my roommate walked in and he... etc.”
From Slate ● Jun. 20, 2016
Thus, for example, when we turn to Ex. xiv., we find Israel in the deepest distress, and almost overwhelmed with fear.
From The Assembly of God Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, volume III by C. (Charles) H. (Henry) Mackintosh
The wording of this law clearly indicates that it would apply if the herdsman were in fault, and suggests that the same condition must be read into Ex. xxii.
From The Old Testament In the Light of The Historical Records and Legends of Assyria and Babylonia by Theophilus Goldridge Pinches
It is, therefore, impossible to detach Ex. xxiii.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 2 "Hearing" to "Helmond" by Various
It was published at Manila 1877–1883 for the friars of St. Augustine under the direction of H. Ex. the late Sebastiano Vidal y Soler, assisted scientifically by the able botanists, the Rev. Fathers Fr.
From Some notes on the bibliography of the Philippines by Thomas Cooke Middleton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
