exodus

[ek-suh-duhs]

noun

1. a going out; a departure or emigration, usually of a large number of people.

   the summer exodus to the country and shore.

2. the Exodus, the departure of the Israelites from Egypt under Moses.

3. (initial capital letter),  the second book of the Bible, containing an account of the Exodus. Ex.

Exodus

¹

/ ˈɛksədəs /

noun

1. the departure of the Israelites from Egypt led by Moses

2. the second book of the Old Testament, recounting the events connected with this and the divine visitation of Moses at Mount Sinai

exodus

²

/ ˈɛksədəs /

noun

1. the act or an instance of going out

Exodus

1. The second book of the Old Testament; it tells of the departure of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt (see also Egypt), made possible by the ten plagues of Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. Moses led them, and their destination was the Promised Land. God guided them by sending a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to show them the way they should go. God also fed them with manna and gave them water out of a solid rock. Because of their frequent complaining and failure to trust him, however, God made them stay in the desert for forty years before entering the Promised Land. God gave them the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Mosaic law on Mount Sinai during the Exodus. Exodus is a Greek word meaning “departure.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Exodus¹

First recorded before 1000; from Late Latin, the name of the second book of the Bible, from Greek éxodos “a going out, marching out,” equivalent to ex- “out of” + (h)odós “way”; ex- ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of Exodus¹

C17: via Latin from Greek exodos from _ex- ¹ + hodos way

Example Sentences

One of the children who died was Exodus Eyob, who was a year old when he fell out of an open window from the seventh floor of a Leeds tower block in 2022.

From BBC

As his skills evolved, he formed a new band called Exodus, which would ultimately be an important player in the first wave of thrash metal in San Francisco.

From Los Angeles Times

The latest numbers for calendar year 2024 confirm the end of the so-called California Exodus that saw the Golden State’s population shrink for the first time in decades.

From Los Angeles Times

When a third night of rioting was expected to take place, a local collective called Exodus Collective organised a rave for the same time.

From BBC

On the spot, Omura called Exodus Recovery Safe Landing, a walk-in shelter that accepts city referrals.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• departure 
• evacuation 
• flight 
• migration 
• withdrawal