exodus
[ ek-suh-duh s ]
/ ˈɛk sə dəs /
noun
a going out; a departure or emigration, usually of a large number of people: the summer exodus to the country and shore.
the Exodus,
the departure of the Israelites from Egypt under Moses.
(initial capital letter)
the second book of the Bible, containing an account of the Exodus. Abbreviation: Ex.
Origin of exodus
< Latin: a going out < Greek
éxodos a marching out, going out, equivalent to
ex-
ex-3 + (
h)odós way
Words nearby exodus
British Dictionary definitions for exodus (1 of 2)
exodus
/ (ˈɛksədəs) /
noun
the act or an instance of going out
Word Origin for exodus
C17: via Latin from Greek
exodos from
ex-
1 +
hodos way
British Dictionary definitions for exodus (2 of 2)
Exodus
/ (ˈɛksədəs) /
noun
the Exodus
the departure of the Israelites from Egypt led by Moses
the second book of the Old Testament, recounting the events connected with this and the divine visitation of Moses at Mount Sinai
Cultural definitions for exodus
Exodus
The second book of the Old Testament; it tells of the departure of the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt (see also Egypt), made possible by the ten plagues of Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. Moses led them, and their destination was the Promised Land. God guided them by sending a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to show them the way they should go. God also fed them with manna and gave them water out of a solid rock. Because of their frequent complaining and failure to trust him, however, God made them stay in the desert for forty years before entering the Promised Land. God gave them the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Mosaic law on Mount Sinai during the Exodus. Exodus is a Greek word meaning “departure.”