except 2[ik-sept] Word Origin verb (used with object)
- to exclude; leave out: present company excepted.
verb (used without object)
- to object (usually followed by to or against): to except to a statement; to except against a witness.
Origin of except 2 1350–1400; Middle English excepten Middle French excepter Latin exceptāre, derivative of exceptus (see except1)Related formsex·cept·a·ble, adjectivenon·ex·cept·ed, adjectiveun·ex·cept·a·ble, adjectiveun·ex·cept·ed, adjectiveUsage note See accept. Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019 British Dictionary definitions for except-to except preposition
- Also: except for other than; apart from; with the exception ofhe likes everyone except you; except for this mistake, you did very well
- except that (conjunction) but for the fact that; were it not true that
conjunction
- an archaic word for unless
- informal except that; but for the fact thatI would have arrived earlier, except I lost my way
verb
- (tr) to leave out; omit; exclude
- (intr often foll by to) rare to take exception; object
Word Origin for except C14: from Old French excepter to leave out, from Latin exceptāre, from excipere to take out, from capere to take Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for except-to except v.
late 14c., “to receive,” from Middle French excepter (12c.), from Latin exceptus, past participle of excipere “take out,” from ex- “out” (see ex-) + capere “to take” (see capable). Meaning “to leave out” is from 1510s. Related: Excepted; excepting. Adjectival function led to use as a preposition, conjunction (late 14c.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper