Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “exception” come from?

exception (Middle English) comes from Anglo-Norman excepcioun, from Old French excepcion, from Latin exceptiō, from Latin -tiō, from Latin dissertātiō, from Latin dissertus, from Latin disserere, from Latin dis- — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

Ancestry of “exception”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Anglo-Normanexcepcioun—
2Old Frenchexcepcion—
3Latinexceptiō—
4Latin-tiō—
5Latindissertātiō—
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “exception”

  • exception
  • exceptional
  • exceptionally
  • exceptionalism
  • unexceptionable
  • exceptionable
  • unexceptional
  • exceptionality
  • exceptionalist
  • exceptionless
  • unexceptionably
  • unexceptionally
  • exceptionably
  • nonexceptional
  • exceptionalness
  • unexceptionableness
  • exceptionableness
  • exceptioner
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →