- exploit (n.)
- late 14c., from O.Fr. esploit, a very common verb, used in senses of "action, deed, profit, achievement," from L. explicitum "a thing settled, ended, displayed," neut. of explicitus, pp. of explicare "unfold" (see explicit). Sense evolution is from "unfolding" to "bringing out" to "having advantage" to "achievement."
- exploit (v.)
- M.E. espleiten, esploiten "to accomplish;" the sense of "use selfishly" first recorded 1838, as an adoption of Fr. exploiter. See exploit (n.).