ex (n.)

1827, originally short for ex-Catholic; see ex-. Since 1929 as abbreviation for ex-wife, ex-husband, etc. Also used in some commercial compound words for "from, out of."

Entries linking to ex

ex-

word-forming element, in English meaning usually "out of, from," but also "upwards, completely, deprive of, without," and "former;" from Latin ex "out of, from within; from which time, since; according to; in regard to," from PIE *eghs "out" (source also of Gaulish ex-, Old Irish ess-, Old Church Slavonic izu, Russian iz). In some cases also from Greek cognate ex, ek. PIE *eghs had comparative form *eks-tero and superlative *eks-t(e)r-emo-. Often reduced to e- before -b-, -d-, -g-, consonantal -i-, -l-, -m-, -n-, -v- (as in elude, emerge, evaporate, etc.).

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updated on September 20, 2014

Definitions of ex from WordNet

ex (n.)

a man who was formerly a certain woman's husband;

Synonyms: ex-husband

ex (n.)

a woman who was formerly a particular man's wife;

Synonyms: ex-wife

ex (adj.)

out of fashion;

Synonyms: antique / demode / old-fashioned / old-hat / outmoded / passe / passee

From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near ex

ewe

Ewen

ewer

ewigkeit

ex-

ex cathedra

ex libris

ex nihilo

ex officio

ex parte