Meaning & use
exposit
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Meaning
verbtransitiveformalrare
To explain an idea or text in careful detail, setting it out point by point.
Grammar: Takes an object: exposit a theory. It is rarely used in speech; 'expound' or 'explain' is far more common.
Patterns
- exposit something
- exposit a theory
- exposit a passage
In the final chapter, the author exposit her theory of language change.
The lecturer spent an hour expositing the main arguments of the essay.
He can exposit a difficult passage clearly without simplifying it.
Word forms
| third person singular | exposits |
|---|---|
| past tense | exposited |
| past participle | exposited |
| -ing form | expositing |
Common combinations
- exposit a theory
- The paper exposits a theory of how children acquire grammar.
- exposit a text
- She exposited the text line by line for her students.
- exposit an argument
- He exposited the argument in three clear stages.
- clearly exposit
- The guide clearly exposits each step of the method.
Synonyms and how they differ
- expound
- The normal choice for explaining an idea at length; 'exposit' is rarer and more academic.
- explain
- The everyday word; use it in speech and general writing, where 'exposit' would sound odd.
- set out
- Common in British writing for presenting ideas in order; it is a phrasal verb, not a single formal verb.
Word family
- exposition noun
- A detailed explanation of an idea or text.
- expository adjective
- Written to explain or inform, as in expository writing.
- expositor noun
- A person who explains a text, especially scripture.
Commonly confused: exposit or expose? exposit or expound?
exposit vs expose
'Expose' means to uncover or reveal something hidden; 'exposit' means to explain something in detail.
exposit vs expound
Very close in meaning, but 'expound' is the form people actually use; 'exposit' sounds technical.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'exposit' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Exposit' means to explain an idea in detail, so a theory is the right object. The other sentences describe revealing secrets, being in the sun, or removing paint — meanings of 'expose', not 'exposit'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “exposit”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.