exposure
UK[ɪkˈspəʊʒə(r)]US[ɪkˈspoʊʒər]
n
the state of being in a place or situation where there is no protection from something harmful or unpleasant
n
the act of making something publicly known because you believe it is wrong or illegal
n
the act of showing the truth about someone or something, especially when it is bad
n
the amount of light that reaches the film or sensor in a camera when taking a photograph
n
the fact of experiencing something new or different
Morpheme Breakdown
ex
pos
ure
ex
out
pos
to place
ure
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'exposure' entered english in the early 17th century from the latin verb 'exponere', meaning "to set forth, explain, or expose". this latin source is a compound of the prefix 'ex-' (out) and 'ponere' (to place). the literal sense of "placing out" evolved from the physical act of leaving something unprotected in the open to the more abstract meanings of revealing information or subjecting someone to an influence. the modern english term retains this core logic of being "put out" from a state of protection or concealment, whether referring to a person exposed to the elements, a secret exposed to the public, or film exposed to light.
Analysis
Structure: ex (out) + pos (to place) + ure (noun suffix)
- ex: from latin, a prefix meaning "out, out of, from, forth".
- pos: from latin root 'ponere' (to place, put), appearing here in a variant spelling 'pos'.
- ure: from latin suffix '-ura', denoting an action, process, or result.
Examples
prolonged exposure to the sun can cause skin damage.
the newspaper's exposure of the corruption scandal led to several resignations.
for a good night photograph, you need a longer exposure time.