exhibit
/ɪɡˈzɪb.ɪt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To show something publicly so people can see it. It is often used for art, objects, or clear feelings and behaviour.
- The museum will exhibit old paintings this month.
- She exhibited great patience during the meeting.
- The company exhibited its new product at the fair.
noun
An object or group of objects shown in public, especially in a museum, gallery, or court. It can also mean a display in an exhibition.
- This exhibit is one of the museum's most popular pieces.
- The court accepted the document as an exhibit.
- We saw a space exhibit at the science centre.
Adinary Nuance
Exhibit is more formal than show and often fits museums, courts, and official settings. It can also mean 'display' when something is presented for public viewing. Compared with demonstrate, exhibit suggests visible presentation, while demonstrate suggests proving or explaining clearly.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- trưng bày
- Spanish
- exhibir
- Chinese
- 展出
- Japanese
- 展示する
- Korean
- 전시하다
Etymology
Exhibit comes from Latin exhibere, meaning 'to hold out' or 'show'. It entered English in the Middle Ages through French and Latin legal and formal writing.
Common phrases
exhibit patienceexhibit behaviormuseum exhibitexhibit at a fair
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is exhibit formal or informal?
- It is fairly formal. People often use it in writing, museums, law, and academic contexts.
- What is the difference between exhibit and show?
- Show is more common and casual. Exhibit sounds more formal and is often used for planned public display.
- Can exhibit be a noun and a verb?
- Yes. As a verb, it means to display. As a noun, it means something displayed.
- How do I use exhibit in academic writing?
- Use it when something clearly appears or is presented. For example, 'The data exhibit a clear trend.'