export

American  

[ik-spawrt, -spohrt, ek-spawrt, -spohrt, ek-spawrt, -spohrt] / ɪkˈspɔrt, -ˈspoʊrt, ˈɛk spɔrt, -spoʊrt, ˈɛk spɔrt, -spoʊrt /

verb (used with object)

exports, present (3rd person singular) exported, past participle, past exporting present participle

1. to ship (commodities) to other countries or places for sale, exchange, etc.

2. to send or transmit (ideas, institutions, etc.) to another place, especially to another country.

3. Computers. to save (documents, data, etc.) in a format usable by another software program.

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verb (used without object)

exports, present (3rd person singular) exported, past participle, past exporting present participle

1. to ship commodities to another country for sale, exchange, etc.

noun

exports plural

1. the act of exporting; exportation.

   the export of coffee.

2. something that is exported; an article exported.

   Coffee is a major export of Colombia.

adjective

1. of or relating to the exportation of goods or to exportable goods.

   export duties.

2. produced for export.

   an export beer.

export British  

noun

1. (often plural)

   1. goods ( visible exports ) or services ( invisible exports ) sold to a foreign country or countries

   2. ( as modifier )

      an export licence

      export finance

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verb

1. to sell (goods or services) or ship (goods) to a foreign country or countries

2. (tr) to transmit or spread (an idea, social institution, etc) abroad

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• exportability
  noun
• exporter
  noun
• superexport
  noun
• exportable
  adjective
• nonexportable
  adjective
• unexportable
  adjective
• unexported
  adjective
• unexporting
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• exports
  plural

Participles

• exporting
  present
• exported
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• export
  simple
• exports
  simple
• have exported
  perfect
• has exported
  perfect
• am exporting
  progressive
• are exporting
  progressive
• is exporting
  progressive
• have been exporting
  perfect progressive
• has been exporting
  perfect progressive

Past

• exported
  simple
• had exported
  perfect
• was exporting
  progressive
• were exporting
  progressive
• had been exporting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will export
  simple
• will have exported
  perfect
• will be exporting
  progressive
• will have been exporting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of export

First recorded in 1475–85; from Latin exportāre “to carry out, carry away,” from ex- ex- ¹ + portāre “to carry”

Explanation

To export something is to move it from its current location to a different territory. Some have been trying to export the American diet overseas by spreading McDonald's fries around the globe. The verb export comes from the Latin word exportare which means “to carry out” or “send away.” To export something is to move it across borders. You could export locally made fabric to wealthy European cities. When something is an export, it is a good, service or idea that is sent or sold to a foreign land: diamonds are a valuable African export.

Example Sentences

Export licenses for Nvidia’s most powerful Blackwell AI chips don’t appear to be under discussion at present, but negotiations about sales of the second-most sophisticated H200 chips have been taking place for several months.

From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026

Meat Export Federation said in an email statement to Barron’s.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

"Export growth ultimately depends on your trading partners' economies," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Export growth is likely to slow in 2026 amid mixed global conditions and pressure on commodity prices, Kenanga Investment Bank said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Export in dust or nuggets was forbidden, and no gold was allowed in circulation except that which bore the government stamp showing it had paid the king's fifth.

From The South American Republics Part I of II by Dawson, Thomas C.

Related Words

• dump
• ship
• smuggle
• transport