Dictionary

example

Etymology

From Middle English example, exaumple, from Old French example, essaumple, from Latin exemplum; see exempt.

Pronunciation

(RP) IPA: /ɪɡˈzɑːm.pəl/
(Northern England, Scotland) IPA: /ɪɡˈzam.pəl/
(America) IPA: /ɪɡˈzæm.pəl/, [ɪɡˈzɛəmpəɫ]
(America, Australia, weak vowel) IPA: /əɡˈzæm.pəl/
(New Zealand) IPA: /əɡˈzaːm.pəl/, [ɘɡˈzɐːmpɯ]

Noun

example (plural examples)

Something that is representative of all such things in a group.
Something that serves to illustrate or explain a rule.
Something that serves as a pattern of behaviour to be imitated (a good example) or not to be imitated (a bad example).
Nelson Mandela was an example for many to follow.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, John 13:15 ↗, column 1:
  For I haue giuen you an example, that yee ſhould doe, as I haue done to you.
- 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain'd. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC ↗, page 52 ↗, lines 823–824:
  I gave, thou ſay'ſt, th' example, / I led the way;
- 1816 June – 1817 April/May (date written), [Mary Shelley], chapter IV, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume I, London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, published 1 January 1818, →OCLC ↗, [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=emu.010001278701;view=1up;seq=102 page 86]:
  Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, […]
- 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC ↗, pages 58–59 ↗:
  The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track. […] Their example was followed by others at a time when the master of Mohair was superintending in person the docking of some two-year-olds, and equally invisible.
A person punished as a warning to others.
- c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act IV, scene iv], page 298 ↗, column 1:
  […] hang him, hee'le be made an example.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, 1 Corinthians 10:6 ↗, column 2:
  Now theſe things were our examples, to the intent wee ſhould not luſt after euil things, as they alſo luſted.
A parallel or closely similar case, especially when serving as a precedent or model.
- c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene iv], page 12 ↗, column 1:
  Such temperate order in ſo fierce a cauſe, / Doth want example: […]
An instance (as a problem to be solved) serving to illustrate the rule or precept or to act as an exercise in the application of the rule.