excuse
UK[ɪkˈskjuːz] (verb), [ɪkˈskjuːs] (noun)US[ɪkˈskjuːz] (verb), [ɪkˈskjuːs] (noun)
v
to forgive someone for a small fault or for behaving badly
v
to allow someone to not do something that they are supposed to do
v
to give a reason or explanation for a fault or mistake, in order to make it seem less bad
n
a reason that you give to explain why you did something wrong
n
a false reason that you give to explain why you are doing or not doing something
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
cuse
ex
out
cuse
cause, reason
Etymology
the word "excuse" entered english in the 13th century from old french escuser, which itself descended from latin excusare, meaning "to free from blame, to make an apology for." the latin term is a compound of the prefix ex- ("out of") and causa ("cause, reason, legal case"). the original literal sense was "to free (someone) from a charge or accusation by giving reasons out of the case." this legalistic notion of offering reasons to remove blame evolved into the modern meanings of seeking forgiveness, providing an explanation, or granting exemption from a duty. the semantic journey reflects a shift from a formal, external legal defense to a broader, more personal act of justification or pardon.
Analysis
Structure: ex (out) + cuse (cause, reason)
- ex: a latin prefix meaning "out of, from, thoroughly."
- cuse: from latin causa, meaning "cause, reason, lawsuit."
Examples
please excuse my late reply.
the teacher excused him from gym class due to his injury.
he made a feeble excuse for forgetting the meeting.