export

American  

[ik-spawrt, -spohrt, ek-spawrt, -spohrt, ek-spawrt, -spohrt] / ɪkˈspɔrt, -ˈspoʊrt, ˈɛk spɔrt, -spoʊrt, ˈɛk spɔrt, -spoʊrt /

verb (used with object)

1. to ship (commodities) to other countries or places for sale, exchange, etc.

2. to send or transmit (ideas, institutions, etc.) to another place, especially to another country.

3. Computers. to save (documents, data, etc.) in a format usable by another software program.

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verb (used without object)

1. to ship commodities to another country for sale, exchange, etc.

noun

1. the act of exporting; exportation.

   the export of coffee.

2. something that is exported; an article exported.

   Coffee is a major export of Colombia.

adjective

1. of or relating to the exportation of goods or to exportable goods.

   export duties.

2. produced for export.

   an export beer.

export British  

noun

1. (often plural)

   1. goods ( visible exports ) or services ( invisible exports ) sold to a foreign country or countries

   2. ( as modifier )

      an export licence

      export finance

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verb

1. to sell (goods or services) or ship (goods) to a foreign country or countries

2. (tr) to transmit or spread (an idea, social institution, etc) abroad

Other Word Forms

• exportability noun
• exportable adjective
• exporter noun
• nonexportable adjective
• superexport noun
• unexportable adjective
• unexported adjective
• unexporting adjective

Etymology

Origin of export

First recorded in 1475–85; from Latin exportāre “to carry out, carry away,” from ex- ex- ¹ + portāre “to carry”

Explanation

To export something is to move it from its current location to a different territory. Some have been trying to export the American diet overseas by spreading McDonald's fries around the globe. The verb export comes from the Latin word exportare which means “to carry out” or “send away.” To export something is to move it across borders. You could export locally made fabric to wealthy European cities. When something is an export, it is a good, service or idea that is sent or sold to a foreign land: diamonds are a valuable African export.

Example Sentences

Malaysia’s export growth likely accelerated in March, according to the median estimate of five economists polled by The Wall Street Journal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

China’s Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group announced this week that it had secured a six-month export quota for lithium concentrates from Zimbabwe, just two months after the African country banned exports of raw lithium.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

It has demanded Nvidia and AMD pay roughly 15% of their revenue from certain AI chip sales in China to the U.S. government as a condition for export licenses.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

Of all people to push back on that concept, it’s Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who in an interview lamented U.S. chip export restrictions on sales to China.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

He even suggested that she export her work to other places, where there was a guaranteed market for indigenous crafts.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Related Words

• dump
• ship
• smuggle
• transport