ex Italian · revision 38401

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1292, Bono Giamboni|origins=ine-pro *h₁eǵʰs}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈɛks/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ex''' ''m or f'' by sense (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|ex|t=out of, from]].^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In Late Latin the preposition became a prefix in phrases whose second word was in the ablative: [[m|la|ex consule]] meant “out of the consulship”, that is, a former consul, and, from that came formations like [[m|la|expatricius|t=a former patrician]].^(DELI 1999) DEI finds the phrase in Sidonius Apollinaris in the 5th century.^(DEI|1573) The prefix thus came to mean “who held this office and holds it no more”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ Väänänen showed that this prefix lived on through the Middle Ages in the language of chanceries, never in popular speech, and came back to life in the 17th century, first in the Church, then in public affairs and journalism.^(DELI 1999) In this sense it spread in French in the 17th century (DEI cites [[m|fr|ex-laquais|alt=ex laquais]] in Mézeray) and then at the time of the Revolution, as in [[fr|ex-prêtre]] and [[fr|ex-consul]], and Devoto holds that it reached modern Italian through French.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|1573)^(Devoto 1968)

+

+ The Latin preposition goes back to [[itc-pro|*eks]] and [[ine-pro|*h₁eǵʰs|t=out]], with cognates in [[osc|eh-]], [[grc|ἐξ|tr=ex]], [[sga|ess-]], [[lt|iš]] and [[cu|из|tr=iz]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Bono Giamboni, before 1292, writes of “Publio Servilio exconsolo”, Publius Servilius the former consul, who attacked Cilicia and Pamphylia; the commentary on Dante known as the ''Ottimo'' (14th century) has ''exconsolo'' as well.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(GDLI)^(DEI|1573)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The particle spread in Italian with the French Revolution: DELI's first modern record is from 1798, in Bartolomeo Benincasa.^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo, in 1869, observed that it was now used and abused, and with reason, since there were and would be many “ex”, but advised ''già'' or ''che fu'' in its place.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ Besides former office holders, ''ex'' came to be used of places that have lost their old function (a former barracks, a former convent) and of a former condition in general.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020) As a noun it is short for ''ex fidanzato'', ''ex fidanzata'', ''ex marito'', ''ex moglie'': a former partner.^(Wiktionary)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) In commerce it shows where a material comes from, and on the stock exchange it means “without”, as in ''ex cedola'' (ex coupon) and ''ex dividendo'' (ex dividend).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011) In law and administration it introduces the rule something is based on, as in ''ex articolo 25''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) In modern medical language ''e(x)-'' also serves as a prefix.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 5th century – Sidonius Apollinaris uses Late Latin ''ex consule'' for a former consul.^(DEI|1573)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni writes ''exconsolo''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 17th century – French takes up ''ex-'' for a former office.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|1573)

+ * 1798 – Bartolomeo Benincasa uses the particle in Italian, at the time of the French Revolution.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1869 – Tommaseo comments on its frequent use.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # (placed before a noun, invariable) [[m|en|former]], who no longer holds a role or office or is no longer in a condition: ''È venuto anche l'ex sindaco del paese.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Of a place or building, that once had another use: ''Il museo è nell'ex mercato del pesce.''^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(commerce)'' Showing where a material comes from.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(finance)'' Without, as in ''ex cedola'' and ''ex dividendo'', of a share quoted without its coupon or dividend.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(law, bureaucratic)'' Under, by virtue of (a provision): ''ex articolo 7''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(colloquial)'' A former partner, someone one has had a relationship with: ''Al matrimonio c'era anche il suo ex.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Someone who no longer holds an office or role.^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|ex]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Ex'' is written separately or joined with a hyphen to the noun it modifies.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011) Latin phrases with the preposition are also used in Italian, such as ''ex aequo'' (on equal terms, 19th century) and ''ex abrupto'' (suddenly, 14th century).^(DEI|1573)^(GDLI)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}