exemplify
Meaning
to be a typical example of something
to give an example of something in order to make something easier to understand
Structure
Usage
the recent economic growth exemplifies the success of the new policies.
the teacher used a simple diagram to exemplify the complex scientific principle.
his dedication to charity work exemplifies the spirit of selfless service.
Etymology
the word 'exemplify' is a scholarly formation that entered english in the late middle period, directly modeled on medieval latin exemplificare, which itself was built from classical latin components. the core noun exemplum (example) originates from eximere, meaning "to take out, remove," suggesting the idea of taking out a representative sample from a larger whole. the suffix -ficare, a combining form of facere (to make), is a prolific verb creator. thus, the literal construction "to make into an example" elegantly captures the modern dual senses: to serve as a perfect instance of a category, or to illustrate a point by providing a concrete case. this logical path from the tangible act of selecting a sample to the abstract process of demonstration remains transparent in the word's contemporary usage.
Analysis
exempl: from latin exemplum, meaning "example, sample, model". serves as the core noun base. ify: from latin -ificare, a verb-forming suffix meaning "to make, to cause to become". indicates the action of turning something into the state of the root.