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exile

American  
[eg-zahyl, ek-sahyl] / ˈɛg zaɪl, ˈɛk saɪl /

noun

exiles plural
  1. expulsion from one's native land by authoritative decree.

  2. the fact or state of expulsion from one's native land by authoritative decree.

    She had to live in exile.

  3. a person banished from their native land.

  4. prolonged separation from one's country or home, such as by force of circumstances.

    Many will suffer wartime exile.

  5. anyone separated from their country or home voluntarily or by force of circumstances.

  6. the Exile, the Babylonian captivity of the Jews, 597–538 b.c.


verb (used with object)

exiles, present (3rd person singular) exiled, past participle, past exiling present participle
  1. to expel or banish (a person) from their country; expatriate.

    Synonyms:
    deport, eject, evict
  2. to separate from country, home, etc..

    Disagreements exiled him from his family.

    Synonyms:
    deport, eject, evict
exile 1 British  
/ ˈɛksaɪl, ɛɡˈzɪlɪk, ɛkˈsɪlɪk, ˈɛɡzaɪl /

noun

  1. a prolonged, usually enforced absence from one's home or country; banishment

  2. the expulsion of a person from his native land by official decree

  3. a person banished or living away from his home or country; expatriate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to expel from home or country, esp by official decree as a punishment; banish

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Exile 2 British  
/ ˈɛɡzaɪl, ˈɛksaɪl /

noun

  1. another name for Babylonian captivity

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Etymology

Origin of exile

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English exil “banishment,” from Latin ex(s)ilium, equivalent to exsul “banished person” + -ium -ium

Explanation

If you are exiled from a place, you must leave and not return. Such punishment is called exile. For example, after he was removed from power, Napoleon lived in exile on the island of Elba. The verb exile comes from the Old French word essillier, meaning “banish, expel, or drive off.” However, some people who live in exile do so happily — and voluntarily — like American citizens in exile in Paris. Don't confuse being exiled with being banned: exile is for countries. If you cause trouble at a restaurant, you might be banned from returning, not exiled.

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Vocabulary lists containing exile

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.

Exile, in Joyce’s case, was determined and purposeful.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Another horror remake - of psychological classic Silent Hill 2 - got a release date and new footage, and top-down RPG Path of Exile 2 was also shown.

From BBC • May 31, 2024

Then four years later, the Rolling Stones installed themselves on the Riviera for the challenging basement recording of "Exile on Main St."

From Salon • Sep. 5, 2023

Jill Biden, who, like Macron’s wife, is a teacher, received copies of Gustave Flaubert’s “Madame Bovary” and Albert Camus’ “The Plague, The Fall, Exile and the Kingdom, and Selected Essays.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2022

I had been busy with pain and rage, but not with fear, till now; I had not thought that the Order of Exile might be mere pretext for my execution.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

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