Dictionary

expository en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ɛkˈspɑzəˌtɔɹi/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɛkˈspɒzɪtəɹi/ (UK)
• /ɪkˈ-/ (UK)
• /ɛkˈspɒzɪtɹi/ (UK)

Etymology

Etymology tree English exposit(ion) Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -tōriusder. Middle English -orie English -ory English expository From exposit(ion) + -ory.

Meanings

1. Serving to explain, explicate, or elucidate; expositive; of or relating to exposition.
   • The expository, nonmetaphorical lyrics to “Cop Killer” were dedicated to the Los Angeles Police Department: The narrator puts on black gloves and a ski mask, turns off the headlights of his car, and prepares to shoot himself some cops. 2022, Chuck Klosterman, The Nineties, New York: Penguin Press, →ISBN:
   • The zombie scenes are reminiscent of what you might see on a show like The Walking Dead, short bursts of extreme violence and gore punctuating expository dialogue scenes where the survivors try to figure out how they’re going to get from point A to point B. 2017 February 23, Katie Rife, “The Girl With All The Gifts tries to put a fresh spin on overripe zombie clichés”, in The Onion AV Club:
   • Practicing expository writing will teach you to explain complex concepts clearly.

Forms

Deriveds

nonexpository · expositorily · expositoriness · expository lump

Synonyms

expositorial

Translations (7)

grc ἐκθετικός (serving to explain) · es expositivo (serving to explain) · mt espożittiv (serving to explain) · es expositor (serving to explain) · sv förklarande (serving to explain) · nl uitleggend (serving to explain) · nl verklarend (serving to explain)