English
exposition
Exposition comes from Latin expositiō ‘exposition, exhibition’, from expōnō ‘to put forth’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- ‘to cultivate’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱey-‘to cultivate’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱinétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sinō‘to put in place’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*pozinōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpōnō‘to place, put’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexpōnōas expōnere‘to put forth’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexpositiō‘exposition, exhibition’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400esposicion
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500exposicioun‘the action of describing in writing’
- Englishearliest quotation 1978exposition
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱey-‘to cultivate’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱinétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sinō‘to put in place’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*pozinōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpōnō‘to place, put’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexpōnōas expōnere‘to put forth’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexpositiō‘exposition, exhibition’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400esposicion
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500exposicioun‘the action of describing in writing’
- Englishearliest quotation 1978exposition
Earliest quotation: 1978, 1976, Leszek Kołakowski: “The articles published were all by professed Marxists, but…”
The story
The sense meaning "exhibition" is a later semantic loan from French exposition.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- ‘to cultivate’
homeless, suppose, compound, hamlet, impose, bohemian, homely, hame, 50 more
through Proto-Indo-European *tḱinéti
apposite, prepositional, 39 more
through Proto-Italic *sinō ‘to put in place’
site, situation, posture, situate, compostela, supposition, positivism, preposition, situs, 41 more
through Proto-Italic *pozinō
compost, suppository, impost, compositor, presupposition, 25 more
through Latin pōnō ‘to place, put’
post, purpose, positive, opposite, opponent, propose, opposition, composition, dispose, compose, consolation, proposition, repository, proponent, disposition, deposition, imposition, posit, presuppose, pone, 49 more
through Latin expōnō ‘to put forth’
Today it means
noun The action of exposing something to something, such as skin to the sunlight.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- / exposition