Word of the: Exemplar

Exemplar

[ig-ZEM-plər]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, 14th century

A person or thing serving as a typical example or excellent model.

Examples of exemplar in a sentence

"Albert Pujols is an exemplar of baseball’s home-run boom."

"The Toyota Prius was the first exemplar of electric cars with consumer appeal."

About Exemplar

This word was borrowed from the French “exemplair,” which itself was based on the Latin “exemplum,” meaning “sample.”

Did you Know?

The original meaning of “exemplar” referred to a model or prototype upon which something else was built or made, but over time that meaning has reversed. Rather than referring to the model after which many things were designed, “exemplar” now refers to a single example of a thing that represents the nature of that thing far better than other versions of that same thing.