Example is a noun meaning something used to illustrate a point or to serve as a model. It can also refer to a particular instance or case that demonstrates a rule or pattern. In teaching or argumentation, an example helps clarify meaning by providing concrete evidence or representation.
"For example, many fruits are rich in vitamins."
"This example demonstrates how the algorithm works in practice."
"She cited an example from history to support her argument."
"Consider the following example to illustrate the concept more clearly."
The word example comes from the Latin exemplum, meaning a pattern, model, or sample. Exemplum itself derives from the verb eximere, meaning to take out or select, with the sense of a representative model chosen to illustrate a rule. In Classical Latin, exemplum referred to a sample that served as a standard or moral exemplar. The term entered English in the late Middle Ages via Old French exemplé or exemple, maintaining the sense of a model or instance used to teach or persuade. Over time, its usage broadened in English to cover any case or instance that illustrates a principle, not just moral or didactic contexts. In modern usage, examples appear in education, explanation, argumentation, and everyday language to ground abstract ideas in concrete situations. While the noun form remains dominant, some phrases use it as a countable or mass noun in specific disciplines (e.g., “an example of data”). The semantic shift toward “typical instance” or “model item” reflects its enduring value as a demonstration tool across languages that borrow and adapt Latin roots.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Example" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Example"
-ple sounds
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Pronounce as /ɪɡˈzæmpəl/ in US and UK practice, with primary stress on the second syllable: ig-ZAM-puhl. Start with a short, lax vowel in the first syllable, the /z/ following, then a sharp /æ/ in the stressed syllable, and end with /m/ plus a light /əl/. In connected speech, the final /əl/ may sound like a syllabic /l/ or a quick, soft schwa + l.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (e.g., /ˈɛɡzæmpəl/ or /ɪɡˈzæmpəl/), mispronouncing the initial /ɪ/ as /iː/ or /eɪ/, and running the final /l/ too strongly. Another frequent issue is merging the /gz/ cluster awkwardly. To correct: keep the primary stress on the second syllable, ensure a short, lax first vowel, pronounce /z/ clearly before /æ/, and finish with a light, quick /əl/ rather than a drawn-out /l/.
In US English, /ɪɡˈzæmpəl/ with rhotic /r/ at times not pronounced; in careful speech the /ɡz/ cluster remains. UK English uses /ɪɡˈzɑːmpəl/ or /ɪgˈzæmpəl/ depending on regional vowel shifts; vowel in the stressed syllable may be broader /æ/ or /ɑː/. Australian typically /ɪɡˈzæmpəl/ with non-rhotic tendency and a shorter, clipped final /əl/. Across all, the key is the stressed /æ/ (or /ɑː/) and the /əl/ ending; rhythm remains trochaic (DUM-da).
The difficulty centers on the /gz/ cluster and the unstressed, reduced first syllable vowel in fast speech. People often substitute /eɪ/ or /i/ in the first syllable, or mispronounce the /z/ as /s/. Mastery requires a crisp /gz/ transition into a clear /æ/ in the stressed syllable, and a light, quick final /əl/. Practicing with minimal pairs helps isolate the stressed vowel and the consonant cluster for accuracy.
The word commonly carries a stronger, dental-alveolar /z/ before the short /æ/, producing a sped-up transition from the /gz/ cluster to the /æ/. Ensure the /e/ in the first syllable is reduced and the second syllable carries the main emphasis. A silent or reduced vowel in rapid speech is a trap for learners; focus on the exact articulation: /ɪ/ or /ɡ/ transitions into /zæm/ with a crisp /p/ then a light /əl/.
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