except
1[ ik-sept ]
/ ɪkˈsɛpt /
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preposition
with the exclusion of; excluding; save; but: They were all there except me.
conjunction
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Idioms about except
except for, if it were not for: She would travel more except for lack of money.
Origin of except
1First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English: originally, past participle, from Latin exceptus (past participle of excipere “to take out”), equivalent to ex- + -ceptus (combining form of captus, past participle of capere “to take”); see origin at ex-1
synonym study for except
1. Except (more rarely excepting ), but, save point out something excluded from a general statement. Except emphasizes the excluding: Take any number except 12. But merely states the exclusion: We ate all but one. Save is now mainly found in poetic use: nothing in sight save sky and sea.
Other definitions for except (2 of 2)
except2
[ ik-sept ]
/ ɪkˈsɛpt /
verb (used with object)
to exclude; leave out: present company excepted.
verb (used without object)
to object (usually followed by to or against): to except to a statement; to except against a witness.
Origin of except
21350–1400; Middle English excepten<Middle French excepter<Latin exceptāre, derivative of exceptus (see except1)
words often confused with except
See accept.
OTHER WORDS FROM except
ex·cept·a·ble, adjectivenon·ex·cept·ed, adjectiveun·ex·cept·a·ble, adjectiveun·ex·cept·ed, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
British Dictionary definitions for except
except
/ (ɪkˈsɛpt) /
preposition
Also: except for other than; apart from; with the exception ofhe likes everyone except you; except for this mistake, you did very well
except that (conjunction) but for the fact that; were it not true that
conjunction
an archaic word for unless
informal except that; but for the fact thatI would have arrived earlier, except I lost my way
verb
(tr) to leave out; omit; exclude
(intr often foll by to) rare to take exception; object
Word Origin for except
C14: from Old French excepter to leave out, from Latin exceptāre, from excipere to take out, from capere to take
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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