Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

except

/ɪkˈsɛpt/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 5.02 in modern English

Syllables: ex-cept
IPA: /ɪkˈsɛpt/

17

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To exclude; to specify as being an exception.

Transitive verb

verb

To take exception, to object (to or against).

Intransitive verb

prep

Used to introduce an exception or qualification to something previously stated.

conj

Used to introduce a clause, phrase, verb infinitive, adverb or other non-noun complement forming an exception or qualification to something previously stated.

conj

Loosely, used to introduce a contrastive statement explaining why something wasn't successful, didn't happen, etc.

Informal

conj

Unless; used to introduce a hypothetical case in which an exception may exist.

Archaic

Example Sentences

"I find most people annoying — present company excepted, of course!"
"But this [ban on circumcision] must have been a provocation, as the emperor Antoninus Pius later acknowledged by excepting the Jews."
"to except to a witness or his testimony"
"Except thou wilt except against my love."
"Yea, but methinks I hear some man except at these words […]."
"The Athenians might fairly except against the practise of Democritus to be buried up in honey; as fearing to embezzle a great commodity of their Countrey"

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French excepter, from Latin exceptus.

Origin

Source language: Middle French

Word Breakdown

Root: *kap-, excepter, exceptus

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ɪkˈsɛpt/
British English: /ɪkˈsɛpt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

excepts (present, singular) excepting (participle, present) excepted (participle, past) excepted (past) excepte (alternative, archaic)

Derived Forms

exceptive exceptless

Phrases

except for except for opinion

Frequently Paired Words

exception excipient

Synonyms

apart from except for outtake with the exception of apart aside aside from bar barring besides but but for

Homonyms

accept (for some pronunciations)

Antonyms

in addition to for example even

Rhymes With

kept accept sept stepped slept swept intercept adept wept crept inept leapt

Questions

How do you pronounce except?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɪkˈsɛpt/.
What does except mean?: To exclude; to specify as being an exception.
Where does except come from?: It is traced to Middle French.

How to pronounce except

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “except”.
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