exile

[eg-zahyl, ek-sahyl]

noun

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)

exiled, exiling 

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

/ 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

verb

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

Exile

²

/ ˈɛɡzaɪl, ˈɛksaɪl /

noun

1. another name for Babylonian captivity

Other Word Forms

• exilable adjective
• exiler noun
• quasi-exiled adjective
• unexiled adjective
• exilic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of exile¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of exile¹

C13: from Latin exsilium banishment, from exsul banished person; perhaps related to Greek alasthai to wander

Example Sentences

In planning that strongly echoes the ill-fated invasion of Iraq, Rubio is working with exiled opposition politicians on day-after regime change plans.

From Salon

Remaining Hamas members who "commit to peaceful co-existence" and to decommission their weapons would be given amnesty and others would be exiled.

From BBC

Now he’s lying to himself that his exile was football was in fact a good thing.

From Los Angeles Times

Nathan Law, who lives in exile in the UK, said he arrived in Singapore on Saturday to attend a "closed-door, invitation-only" conference but was detained at the border for four hours.

From BBC

It was brutally suppressed by the British leaving about 10% of the adult male Arab Palestinian population killed, wounded, imprisoned or exiled, according to one estimate.

From BBC

Related Words

• banish 
• displace 
• drive out www.thesaurus.com
• evacuate 
• expel 
• extradite 
• ostracize 
• oust 
• outlaw 
• relegate