exit
noun
Exit — the act of going out, leaving a space or situation behind
Definition
The act of going out
In depth
An exit is the act of going out, the plainest and most universally understood word for leaving a space, whether a room, a building, a conversation, or a situation. The word also names, distinctly, the physical opening or route by which one leaves, a doorway or path designated specifically for departure.
Origin
The word descends from Latin exitus, a going out, from exire, to go out, formed from ex- (out) and ire (to go). Its long theatrical use, as a stage direction marking an actor's departure, has given the word an enduring, almost performative resonance, even when used in the most mundane, everyday contexts.
Usage examples
"Her exit from the meeting was as quiet and unremarked as her arrival had been."
"Fire codes require clearly marked exits in every public building."
"He had been planning his exit from the company for months before he finally announced it."
How to use it
Exit is universally accessible vocabulary across nearly every register and context, useful both as a noun describing the act of leaving and as a noun naming the physical route or doorway designated for departure.
Related concepts
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