exemplification
Americannoun
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the act of exemplifying.
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something that exemplifies; an illustration or example.
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Law. an attested copy of a document, under official seal.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exemplification
1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin exemplificātiōn- (stem of exemplificātiō ) a setting forth, equivalent to exemplificāt ( us ) (past participle of exemplificāre to exemplify ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
An exemplification is an illustration or classic example of something. Breaking into loud, operatic singing at the breakfast table might be the perfect exemplification of your family's strange sense of humor. The grace and beauty of a ballerina dancing on a stage is an exemplification of the principles of ballet itself — in other words, she is a living example of what ballet should be. When you illustrate something this way, by showing a concrete example, you exemplify. And the act of using that example is exemplification. The Latin source of both words is exemplum, "example or model."
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.
“For me, he is the exemplification of being alive at 93 and creative and interested and influential, and still working in his craft in a beautiful way.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2022
But this time, there is no Bob Gibson — an obvious exemplification of the game’s imbalance — to point the league’s power brokers in the right direction.
From Washington Times • Apr. 6, 2022
John Adams in 1785: “I glory in the character of Washington because I know him to be an exemplification of the American character.”
From Washington Post • Feb. 17, 2020
Kaling’s script feels like a complication of the blanket rules that came out of #MeToo rather than an exemplification of them.
From Slate • Jul. 8, 2019
The entire set of these meals is now united as a single block of text which serves as an exemplification of herons eating things other than fish.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
