exposition

American  

[ek-spuh-zish-uhn] / ˌɛk spəˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

1. a large-scale public exhibition or show, as of art or manufactured products.

   an exposition of 19th-century paintings; an automobile exposition.

   Synonyms:

   presentation, display, demonstration, exhibit

2. the act of expounding, setting forth, or explaining.

   the exposition of a point of view.

3. writing or speech primarily intended to convey information or to explain; a detailed statement or explanation; explanatory treatise.

   The students prepared expositions on familiar essay topics.

   Synonyms:

   explication, exegesis, interpretation, critique, commentary, elucidation

4. the act of presenting to view; display.

   The singer gave a splendid exposition of vocal talent.

5. exposure.

6. the state of being uncovered, revealed, or otherwise exposed; exposure.

7. Music. the first section of a fugue or a sonata form, in which the principal themes normally are introduced.

8. (in a play, novel, etc.) dialogue, description, etc., that gives the audience or reader the background of the characters and the present situation.

---

exposition British  

/ ˌɛkspəˈzɪʃən /

noun

1. a systematic, usually written statement about, commentary on, or explanation of a specific subject

2. the act of expounding or setting forth information or a viewpoint

3. a large public exhibition, esp of industrial products or arts and crafts

4. the act of exposing or the state of being exposed

5. the part of a play, novel, etc, in which the theme and main characters are introduced

6. music the first statement of the subjects or themes of a movement in sonata form or a fugue

7. RC Church the exhibiting of the consecrated Eucharistic Host or a relic for public veneration

---

Other Word Forms

• expositional adjective
• preexposition noun
• reexposition noun

Etymology

Origin of exposition

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English exposicioun, exposicyon, from Old French exposition, from Latin expositiōn- (stem of expositiō “exposure (of an infant to die); statement, description),” equivalent to exposit(us); + -iōn- ; expose, -ion

Explanation

An exposition takes place when you "expose" something — like at a fair or convention for showing off goods, art, or similar wares. An exposition can also be the section of a story that explains the basics of the tale. In classical music, the first part of a piece is often an exposition, in which the composer lets you hear the tunes and themes that will get worked over during the rest of the piece. Most movies spend a lot of time at the beginning on exposition, as well. The director wants you to know where the story is set, who the characters are, and what it is they want. Exposition is important to set the scene, so the rest of the story makes sense. Exposition can also mean a big fair, often called an "expo." ComicCon is a famous exposition.

Example Sentences

After an exposition of “Fridamania”—the mass-market manifestations of Kahlo’s omnipresence—visitors see that Kahlo’s influence continues to this day among artists.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Its opening sequence is both graceful and conspicuous; its exposition is entirely legible, yet so very charming that its plainness doesn’t matter one bit.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

One is the dense, dialect-heavy Gothic novel, 300-plus pages of exposition told second- or even thirdhand.

From Salon • Feb. 21, 2026

Saddled with a mishmash of Freddy’s-verse lore, clunky exposition and pancake-flat dialogue, the narrative becomes careless and convoluted.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2025

He knew the praise was premature, but the banquet hinted at the greater glory that would accrue to him at fair’s end, provided of course the exposition met the world’s elaborate expectations.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson