English
exhibition
Exhibition probably comes from Old French exhibicion; it is equivalent to exhibit + -ion.
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400exhibicionuncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1834exhibition
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400exhibicionuncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1834exhibition
Earliest quotation: 1834, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, London: Richard Bentley: “I could not have believed," remarked Francesca, "had I…”
Formed from exhibit + -ion
Latin exhibeō ‘to hold forth, present, show, display’
Latin exhibitus ‘presented, shown, exhibited, revealed’
English exhibit
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- ‘to grab, take’
doubt, habitat, endeavor, dubious, javelin, prohibition, gab, prohibitive, aver, 23 more
through Proto-Italic *haβēō ‘to have, hold’
through Latin habeō ‘have, hold’
able, due, average, ability, habit, debit, prohibit, inhibit, haver, debenture, habilitation, 23 more
Today it means
noun An instance of exhibiting, or something exhibited.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old French exhibicion / exhibition