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Origin and history of exemplify

exemplify(v.)

early 15c., exemplifien, "to illustrate or demonstrate by examples, to instruct by (good) example, be or serve as a model (of conduct)," good or bad, from Medieval Latin exemplificare "to illustrate," from Latin exemplum "example, pattern, model" (see example). Meaning "to serve as an example" is recorded from 1793. Related: Exemplified; exemplifies; exemplifying.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to exemplify

example(n.)

late 14c., "an instance typical of a class; a model, either good or bad, action or conduct as an object of imitation; an example to be avoided; punishment as a warning," partial re-Latinization of earlier essample, asaumple (mid-13c.), from Old French essemple "sample, model, example, precedent, cautionary tale," from Latin exemplum "a sample, specimen; image, portrait; pattern, model, precedent; a warning example, one that serves as a warning," literally "that which is taken out," from eximere "remove, take out, take away; free, release, deliver, make an exception of," from ex "out" (see ex-) + emere "buy," originally "take," from PIE root *em- "to take, distribute." 

exemplification(n.)

mid-15c., exemplificacioun, "illustration or demonstration by example," from Anglo-French exemplificacion "attested copy or transcript of a document" (late 14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin exemplificationem (nominative exemplificatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of exemplificare "to illustrate" (see exemplify). Holinshed had a back-formation exemplificate.

*em-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to take, distribute." 

It might form all or part of: assume; consume; emption; example; exemplar; exemplary; exemplify; exempt; exemption; impromptu; peremptory; pre-emption; premium; presume; presumption; prompt; pronto; ransom; redeem; redemption; resume; sample; Sejm; subsume; sumptuary; sumptuous; vintage.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit yamati "holds, subdues;" Latin emere "buy," originally "take," sumere "to take, obtain, buy;" Old Church Slavonic imo "to take;" Lithuanian imu, imti "to take."

For the sense shift from "take" to "buy" in the Latin verbs, compare Old English sellan "to give," source of Modern English sell "to give in exchange for money;" Hebrew laqah "he bought," originally "he took;" and colloquial English I'll take it for "I'll buy it." 

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    late 14c., representen, "show, display, express; bring to mind by description," also "to symbolize, serve as a sign or symbol of (something else, something abstract); serve as the type or embodiment of;" also be a representative of" (the authority of another). This is from Old Fr
    instance
    late 14c., "urgency, insistence" (a sense now archaic), from Old French instance "effort, application; urgency, eagerness, anxiety" (13c.), from Latin instantia "presence, effort, intention; earnestness, urgency," literally "a standing near," from instans (see instant). In logic,
    expound
    mid-14c., expounen, expounden, "to explain or comment on, to reveal the meaning" (of Scripture, etc.), from Old French espondre "expound (on), set forth, explain," from Latin exponere "put forth, expose, exhibit; set on shore, disembark; offer, leave exposed, reveal, publish," fr
    detail
    c. 1600, "attention to particulars," from French détail, from Old French detail "small piece or quantity," literally "a cutting in pieces," from detaillier "cut in pieces" (12c.), from de- "entirely" (see de-) + taillier "to cut in pieces" (see tailor). French en détail "piece by
    expand
    early 15c., "spread out, open out, spread flat, extend widely;" also transitive, "cause to grow larger;" from Anglo-French espaundre, Old French espandre "spread, spread out, be spilled," and directly from Latin expandere "to spread out, unfold, expand," from ex "out" (see ex-) +
    general
    c. 1200, "of wide application, generic, affecting or involving all" (as opposed to special or specific), from Old French general (12c.) and directly from Latin generalis "relating to all, of a whole class, generic" (contrasted with specialis), from genus (genitive generis) "stock
    enlarge
    mid-14c., "grow fat, increase" (intrans.); c. 1400, "make larger" (trans.), from Old French enlargier "to widen, increase, make larger," from en- "make, put in" (see en- (1)) + large (see large). Meaning "expand in words, speak at large" is from 1650s. There was a Middle English
    be
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    dimension
    late 14c., dimensioun, "measurable extent, magnitude measured along a diameter," from Latin dimensionem (nominative dimensio) "a measuring," noun of action from past-participle stem of dimetri "to measure out," from dis- (see dis-) + metiri "to measure," from PIE root *me- (2) "t
    stoke
    1680s, "to feed and stir up" (a fire in a fireplace or furnace), a back-formation from stoker "one who maintains a fire in a furnace" (1650s); ultimately from Dutch stoken "to stoke," from Middle Dutch stoken "to poke, thrust," related to stoc "stick, stump," from Proto-Germanic

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