exhibition English · revision 5737

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=early 14th century|origins=la-lat exhibitio}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌek.sɪˈbɪʃ.ən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English exhibicioun,^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|exhibicion|t=show, display]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024) from [[la-lat|exhibitiō|t=presentation; maintenance]],^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) a noun of action from [[m|la|exhibēre|t=to show, present]], literally “to hold out”,^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from [[m|la|ex-|t=out]] and [[m|la|habēre|t=to hold]] (see [[exhibit]]).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The action of displaying: the early 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) The OED's earliest sense is maintenance or support (1432–50), which Etymonline dates to the early 15th century.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The old sense of provision gave an allowance of money for someone's support (1498) and money given to a university student;^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002) from it came the British exhibition, a fixed sum awarded to a student from the funds of a school or college, usually after an examination (OED from about 1525, SOED from the mid-17th century).^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002)^(NODE 1998) Shakespeare used it for a gift or present in ''Othello''.^(SOED 2002) The sense of showing or display became the main one: a visible show of a feeling or quality from the late 17th century,^(SOED 2002) and that which is exhibited from 1786.^(Etymonline) ''To make an exhibition of oneself'', to behave ridiculously in public, is a later phrase.^(SOED 2002)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * early 14th century – a display.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1432–50 – maintenance, support.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1498 – an allowance of money.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1525 – a student's exhibition.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 17th century – a show of a quality.^(SOED 2002)

+ * 1786 – that which is exhibited.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A public display of works of [[art]], products or other items.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A display or demonstration of a skill or quality.^(COED 2004)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The act of exhibiting, or the state of being exhibited.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(British)'' A [[scholarship]] given to a student by a school or university.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[nonexhibition]]

+ * [[reexhibition]]

+ * [[exhibitionism]]

+ * [[exhibitionist]]

+ * [[exhibition game]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[exposition]]

+ * [[exhibit]]

+ * [[habit]]

+ * [[inhibition]]

+ * [[prohibition]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}