exhibition
Americannoun
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an exhibiting, showing, or presenting to view.
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a public display, as of the work of artists or artisans, the products of farms or factories, the skills of performers, or objects of general interest.
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an exposition or large fair of extended duration, as a world's fair.
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British. an allowance given to a student in a college, university, or school, usually upon the result of a competitive examination.
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Medicine/Medical Obsolete. administration, as of a remedy.
noun
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a public display of art, products, skills, activities, etc
a judo exhibition
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the act of exhibiting or the state of being exhibited
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to behave so foolishly in public that one excites notice or ridicule
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an allowance or scholarship awarded to a student at a university or school
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exhibition
1275–1325; Middle English exhibicion < Late Latin exhibitiōn- (stem of exhibitiō ) a presenting. See exhibit, -ion
Explanation
An exhibition is a collection of items for public display, like an exhibition of children’s artwork, antique vases, or memorabilia from a science fiction movie series. In the 19th century, exhibition was used to refer to a collection of objects, while exhibit designated a single item in an exhibition. Nowadays, exhibition and exhibit are often used interchangeably. Exhibition comes from the Latin ex-, meaning "out," and habere, meaning "hold" — as objects in an exhibition are "held out," or shown, to the public. The h in "hold out" might help you remember to include the h when spelling exhibition.
Vocabulary lists containing exhibition
"Women in Aviation," Vocabulary from the informational text
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Dragon Hoops
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 28–September 3, 2021
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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.
The multi-eyed organism will serve as the centerpiece of “the N.E.S.T.,” an EIT-designed section of Meow Wolf’s new 26,000-square-foot immersive exhibition space.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Invisible trauma — and recovery through art — is a prominent throughline of the exhibition.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Displayed at the exhibition are shots he snapped of him at Newport Jazz Festival in 1969.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
The free outdoor exhibition in Snow Hill Square will run from 9 to 30 June, developed in partnership with Birmingham School of Art and funded by Birmingham's Colmore BID.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
“I think so. Let me take it out of the exhibition case. It hasn’t been played in a while.”
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
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.
