example
Meaning
A thing characteristic of its kind or illustrating a general rule.
A person or thing regarded in terms of their fitness to be imitated.
A punishment or warning to others.
Structure
Usage
This painting is a perfect example of her early work.
Teachers should set a good example for their students.
The judge made an example of him by imposing a harsh sentence.
Etymology
The word 'example' originates from the Latin exemplum, meaning 'sample, specimen, or model'. This Latin term is derived from the verb eximere, which combines ex- ('out') and emere ('to take'), conveying the sense of 'to take out' or 'select'. Over time, the meaning evolved from a literal 'thing taken out' as a specimen to a more abstract 'typical instance' or 'model to be followed'. The modern English sense, encompassing both a representative case and a pattern for imitation, directly continues this logical progression from a physical sample to an illustrative or exemplary ideal.
Analysis
ex- (Latin prefix meaning 'out of, from'); -ample (from Latin emere 'to take', via the derivative exemplum).