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exposition - 4 dictionary results

ex⋅po⋅si⋅tion

[ek-spuh-zish-uhn]
–noun
1. a large-scale public exhibition or show, as of art or manufactured products: an exposition of 19th-century paintings; an automobile exposition.
2. the act of expounding, setting forth, or explaining: the exposition of a point of view.
3. writing or speech primarily intended to convey information or to explain; a detailed statement or explanation; explanatory treatise: The students prepared expositions on familiar essay topics.
4. the act of presenting to view; display: The singer gave a splendid exposition of vocal talent.
5. exposure (def. 10).
6. the state of being exposed; exposure.
7. Music. the first section of a fugue or a sonata form, in which the principal themes normally are introduced.
8. (in a play, novel, etc.) dialogue, description, etc., that gives the audience or reader the background of the characters and the present situation.

Origin:
1300–50; ME exposicioun < L expositiōn- (s. of expositiō), equiv. to exposit(us) (see expose ) + -iōn- -ion


ex⋅po⋅si⋅tion⋅al, adjective


1. exhibit, demonstration, display, presentation. 3. elucidation, commentary; critique, interpretation, exegesis, explication.
ex·po·si·tion   (ěk'spə-zĭsh'ən)   
n.  
  1. A setting forth of meaning or intent.
    1. A statement or rhetorical discourse intended to give information about or an explanation of difficult material.
    2. The art or technique of composing such discourses.
    3. The first part of a composition in sonata form that introduces the themes.
    4. The opening section of a fugue.
  2. Music
    1. The first part of a composition in sonata form that introduces the themes.
    2. The opening section of a fugue.
  3. The part of a play that provides the background information needed to understand the characters and the action.
  4. An act or example of exposing.
  5. A public exhibition or show, as of artistic or industrial developments.

[Middle English exposicioun, from Old French exposition, from Latin expositiō, expositiōn-, from expositus, past participle of expōnere, to expound; see expound.]
ex·pos'i·tive (ĭk-spŏz'ĭ-tĭv), ex·pos'i·to'ry (-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē) adj., ex·pos'i·tor n.

Exposition

Ex`po*si"tion\, n. [L. expositio, fr. exponere, expositum: cf. F. exposition. See Expound.]

1. The act of exposing or laying open; a setting out or displaying to public view.

2. The act of expounding or of laying open the sense or meaning of an author, or a passage; explanation; interpretation; the sense put upon a passage; a law, or the like, by an interpreter; hence, a work containing explanations or interpretations; a commentary.

You know the law; your exposition Hath been most sound. --Shak.

3. Situation or position with reference to direction of view or accessibility to influence of sun, wind, etc.; exposure; as, an easterly exposition; an exposition to the sun. [Obs.] --Arbuthnot.

4. A public exhibition or show, as of industrial and artistic productions; as, the Paris Exposition of 1878. [A Gallicism]
Language Translation for : exposition
Spanish: exposición,
German: die Erklärung,
Japanese: 説明

exposition 
1388, "explanation, narration," from O.Fr. exposition, from L. expositio, from expositus, pp. of exponere (see expound). The meaning "public display" is first recorded 1851 in reference to the Crystal Palace Exposition in London. Abbreviation Expo is first associated with the world's fair held in Montreal in 1967.
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