exile
UK[ˈɛɡzaɪl]US[ˈɛɡzaɪl]
n
The state of being forced to live away from one's own country, especially for political reasons or as a punishment.
n
A person who lives away from their own country by force or by choice.
v
To force someone to live away from their own country.
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
ile
ex
out of, from, away
ile
Etymology
The word 'exile' entered English in the 14th century from the Old French 'exil' or 'essil', meaning 'banishment'. This, in turn, traces back to the Latin noun 'exilium' and the verb 'ex(s)ulare', both meaning 'banishment'. The core Latin components are the prefix 'ex-' ('out') and the root related to 'salire' ('to leap'), suggesting the literal idea of 'leaping out' or 'being cast out' from one's homeland. Over time, the specific sense of a forced, often politically charged, departure from one's nation became the dominant meaning, evolving from a physical action to a state of social and political exclusion.
Analysis
Structure: ex + ile
- ex: Latin origin, meaning "out of, from, away". It functions as a prefix indicating removal or separation.
- ile: This is a simplified representation of the Latin root '-sil-' or '-sul-' (to leap, to go), which, when combined with the prefix 'ex-', forms the verb 'exsilire' (to leap out). In the modern English spelling 'exile', the '-ile' serves as a bound root or suffixal element derived from this Latin verb stem.
Examples
The poet spent many years in political exile.
The king was exiled after the revolution.
She lived as an exile, longing for her homeland.