exodus

[ek-suh-duhs]

noun

1. a going out; a departure or emigration, usually of a large number of people.

   the summer exodus to the country and shore.

2. the Exodus, the departure of the Israelites from Egypt under Moses.

3. (initial capital letter),  the second book of the Bible, containing an account of the Exodus. Ex.

Exodus

¹

/ ˈɛksədəs /

noun

1. the departure of the Israelites from Egypt led by Moses

2. the second book of the Old Testament, recounting the events connected with this and the divine visitation of Moses at Mount Sinai

exodus

²

/ ˈɛksədəs /

noun

1. the act or an instance of going out

Exodus

1. The second book of the Old Testament; it tells of the departure of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt (see also Egypt), made possible by the ten plagues of Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. Moses led them, and their destination was the Promised Land. God guided them by sending a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to show them the way they should go. God also fed them with manna and gave them water out of a solid rock. Because of their frequent complaining and failure to trust him, however, God made them stay in the desert for forty years before entering the Promised Land. God gave them the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Mosaic law on Mount Sinai during the Exodus. Exodus is a Greek word meaning “departure.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of exodus¹

First recorded before 1000; from Late Latin, the name of the second book of the Bible, from Greek éxodos “a going out, marching out,” equivalent to ex- “out of” + (h)odós “way”; ex- ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of exodus¹

C17: via Latin from Greek exodos from _ex- ¹ + hodos way

Example Sentences

The changes to the program came after intense lobbying from Hollywood unions, studios and other insiders amid an exodus of filming to other states and countries with more generous production incentives.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Venezuelans are grappling with political and economic chaos, a mass population exodus and fears of a US military attack.

Read more on Barron's

She raised her fears that, without reforms to the court system making it quicker to evict bad tenants, there will be an exodus of people who want to let their homes.

Read more on BBC

After the mass Manchester United exodus has come the rebuild.

Read more on BBC

However, an AFP journalist at the scene said there was no mass exodus or panic.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• departure 
• evacuation 
• flight 
• migration 
• withdrawal