exile

ex·ile
E1X8I1L1E1
UK, US/ˈɛɡˌzaɪl/UK, US/ˈɛkˌsaɪl/obsolete/ɪɡˈzaɪl/

noun

The state of being banished from one's home or country.

“He lived in exile.”

CommonScrabble 12

Meanings

nounexile (countable and uncountable, plural exiles)

plural exiles

  1. uncountableThe state of being banished from one's home or country.

    He lived in exile.

    3 more examples

    They chose exile rather than assimilation.

    Let them be recalled from their exile.

    c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iv]

    My son, a Canada-based IT professional who often travels to Ukraine, told me about the exhilarating atmosphere on those Ukraine-bound trains, bringing home hundreds of the unwilling refugees, mostly women and children (including the babies, born in exile on the way to meet their Ukrainian fighter fathers for the first time). The difference between Ukrainian refugees and other reluctant exiles is that Ukrainians are desperate to return.

    2024 September 4, Vitali Vitaliev, “A salute to Ukraine's 'Second Army'”, in RAIL, number 1017, page 49

    Synonyms: banishment

  2. countableSomeone who is banished from their home or country.

    She lived as an exile, and did her best to make the most out of such life.

    2 more examples

    Thou art an exile, and thou must not stay.

    c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]

    My son, a Canada-based IT professional who often travels to Ukraine, told me about the exhilarating atmosphere on those Ukraine-bound trains, bringing home hundreds of the unwilling refugees, mostly women and children (including the babies, born in exile on the way to meet their Ukrainian fighter fathers for the first time). The difference between Ukrainian refugees and other reluctant exiles is that Ukrainians are desperate to return.

    2024 September 4, Vitali Vitaliev, “A salute to Ukraine's 'Second Army'”, in RAIL, number 1017, page 49

    Synonyms: expatriate, émigré

verbexile (third-person singular simple present exiles, present participle exiling, simple past and past participle exiled)

present singular third person exiles · participle present exiling · participle past exiled · past exiled

  1. transitiveTo send (someone or something) into exile.

    Calling home our exiled friends abroad.

    c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene viii]
    1 more example

    She, mouldering with the dull earth's mouldering sod, / Inwrapt tenfold in slothful shame, / Lay there exiled from eternal God, / Lost to her place and name.

    1832 December (indicated as 1833), Alfred Tennyson, “The Palace of Art”, in Poems, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, stanza LXVIII, page 87

    Synonyms: banish, forban, expatriate

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe state of being banished from one's home or country.

Similar

nounSomeone who is banished from their home or country.

verbTo send (someone or something) into exile.

More synonyms by meaning

nouna person who is voluntarily absent from home or country

Broader

nouna person who is expelled from home or country by authority

Similar

nounthe act of expelling a person from their native land

verbexpel from a country

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinexsilium
  2. Old Frenchessil
  3. Middle Englishexil
  4. Englishexile

From Middle English exil, borrowed from Old French essil, exil, from Latin exsilium, exilium (“state of exile”), derived from exsul, exul (“exiled person”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἐξορία, ἐξορίζω
  • ἐξορία (exoría)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • ἐξορίζω (exorízō)to send into exile
Arabic نَفْي, تَبْعِيد
  • نَفْي (nafy)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • تَبْعِيد (tabʕīd)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • مَنْفًى (manfan)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • نَفَى (nafā)to send into exile
Bengali নির্বাসন
  • নির্বাসন (nirbaśon)the state of being banished from one's home or country
Bulgarian изгна́ние, заточе́ние
  • изгна́ние (izgnánie)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • заточе́ние (zatočénie)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • изгна́ник (izgnánik)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • изгна́ница (izgnánica)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • изгна́ничка (izgnánička)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • зато́ченик (zatóčenik)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • зато́ченица (zatóčenica)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • зато́ченичка (zatóčenička)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • заточавам (zatočavam)to send into exile
Catalan exili, bandejament
  • exilithe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • bandejamentthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • desterramentthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • exiliatsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • exiliadasomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • bandejatsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • exiliarto send into exile
  • bandejarto send into exile
  • desterrarto send into exile
Chinese Mandarin 流亡, 放逐
  • 流亡 (liúwáng)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • 放逐 (fàngzhú)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • 流放 (liúfàng)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • 流亡者 (liúwángzhe)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • 被放逐者 (bèifàngzhúzhě)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • 流放 (liúfàng)to send into exile
  • 放逐 (fàngzhú)to send into exile
Czech vyhnanství, exil
  • vyhnanstvíthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • exilthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • vyhnanecsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • vyhnankyněsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • exulantsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • exulantkasomeone who is banished from one's home or country
Danish eksil, udlændighed
  • eksilthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • udlændighedsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • eksilsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • forviseto send into exile
Dutch ballingschap, verbanning
  • ballingschapthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • verbanningthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • bannelingsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • verbannento send into exile
Esperanto ekzilo, ekzilulo
  • ekzilothe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • ekzilulosomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • ekzilito send into exile
Estonian eksiil, maapagu
  • eksiilthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • maapaguthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • maapagulanesomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • pagendatusomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • väljasaadetusomeone who is banished from one's home or country
Finnish maanpako, maanpakolaisuus
  • maanpakothe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • maanpakolaisuusthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • maanpakolainensomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • karkottaato send into exile
  • ajaa maanpakoonto send into exile
French exil, exilé
  • exilthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • exilésomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • exilerto send into exile
German Exil, Verbannung
  • Exilthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • Verbannungthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • Exilantsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • Exilantinsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • Verbanntersomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • ins Exil schickento send into exile
  • exilierento send into exile
Greek εξορία, εξόριστος
  • εξορία (exoría)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • εξόριστος (exóristos)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • εξορίζω (exorízo)to send into exile
Hebrew גָּלוּת, גּוֹלָה
  • גָּלוּת (galút)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • גּוֹלָה (golá)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • גּוֹלֶה (golé)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • גּוֹלָה (golá)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • הִגְלָה (higlá)to send into exile
  • גָּלָה (galá)to send into exile
Hindi निर्वासन, देशनिकाला
  • निर्वासन (nirvāsan)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • देशनिकाला (deśnikālā)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • निर्वासित (nirvāsit)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • निर्वासन (nirvāsan)to send into exile
Hungarian száműzés, száműzetés
  • száműzésthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • száműzetésthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • száműzöttsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • száműzto send into exile
Icelandic útlegð, útlagi
  • útlegðthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • útlagisomeone who is banished from one's home or country
Indonesian pengasingan, eksil
  • pengasinganthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • eksilthe state of being banished from one's home or country
Irish deoraíocht, deoraí
  • deoraíochtthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • deoraísomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • ionnarbto send into exile
  • díbirto send into exile
Italian esilio, esiliato
  • esiliothe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • esiliatosomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • esulesomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • esiliareto send into exile
Japanese 亡命, 追放
  • 亡命 (bōmei)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • 追放 (tsuihō)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • 亡命者 (bōmeisha)someone who is banished from one's home or country
Korean 망명, 추방
  • 망명 (mangmyeong)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • 추방 (chubang)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • 망명자 (mangmyeongja)someone who is banished from one's home or country
Latin exsilium, ablēgātiō
  • exsiliumthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • ablēgātiōthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • exsulsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • exsuloto send into exile
Latvian trimda, izraidījums
  • trimdathe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • izraidījumsthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • trimdiniekssomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • izraidītaissomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • izraidītto send into exile
Lithuanian tremtis, tremtinys
  • tremtisthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • tremtinyssomeone who is banished from one's home or country
Malay buangan, eksil
  • buanganthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • eksilthe state of being banished from one's home or country
Māori whakapakotanga, whakapako
  • whakapakotangathe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • whakapakoto send into exile
Norwegian forvise
  • forviseto send into exile
Norwegian Bokmål eksil, utlendighet
  • eksilthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • utlendighetthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • forvisingthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • landflyktigsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • flyktningsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
Polish uchodźstwo, wygnanie
  • uchodźstwothe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • wygnaniethe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • banicjathe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • zesłaniethe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • wygnaniecsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • wygnankasomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • banitasomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • banitkasomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • wygnaćto send into exile
  • banitowaćto send into exile
Portuguese exílio, desterro
  • exíliothe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • desterrothe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • exiladosomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • degredadosomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • exilarto send into exile
  • desterrarto send into exile
Romanian exil, exilare
  • exilthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • exilarethe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • exilatsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • exilato send into exile
Russian ссы́лка, изгна́ние
  • ссы́лка (ssýlka)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • изгна́ние (izgnánije)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • ссы́льный (ssýlʹnyj)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • ссы́льная (ssýlʹnaja)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • изгна́нник (izgnánnik)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • изгна́нница (izgnánnica)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • вы́сылать (výsylatʹ)to send into exile
  • вы́слать (výslatʹ)to send into exile
Scottish Gaelic fògarrach, deòradh
  • fògarrachsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • deòradhsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • eilthireachsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
Slovak vyhnanstvo, exil
  • vyhnanstvothe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • exilthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • vyhnanecsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • vyhnankyňasomeone who is banished from one's home or country
Spanish exilio, destierro
  • exiliothe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • destierrothe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • exiliadosomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • desterradosomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • exiliarto send into exile
  • desterrarto send into exile
  • proscribirto send into exile
  • trasterrarto send into exile
Swedish exil, landsflykt
  • exilthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • landsflyktthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • landsflyktingsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • landsförvisato send into exile
  • exilerato send into exile
Thai การเนรเทศ
  • การเนรเทศ (gaan-nee-rá-têet)the state of being banished from one's home or country
Turkish sürgün, ihraç
  • sürgünthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • ihraçthe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • sürgünsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • sürmekto send into exile
  • sürgüne göndermekto send into exile
Ukrainian вигна́ння, засла́ння
  • вигна́ння (vyhnánnja)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • засла́ння (zaslánnja)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • екзи́ль (ekzýlʹ)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • екзи́л (ekzýl)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • вигна́нець (vyhnánecʹ)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • вигна́ниця (vyhnánycja)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • висила́ти (vysyláty)to send into exile
  • ви́слати (výslaty)to send into exile
Urdu جَلا وَطَنی, تَبْعِید
  • جَلا وَطَنی (jalā vatanī)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • تَبْعِید (tab'īd)the state of being banished from one's home or country
  • جَلا وَطَن (jalā vatan)someone who is banished from one's home or country
  • تَبْعِیدی (tab'īdī)someone who is banished from one's home or country
Vietnamese lưu vong
  • lưu vongthe state of being banished from one's home or country
Welsh alltudiaeth, alltud
  • alltudiaeththe state of being banished from one's home or country
  • alltudsomeone who is banished from one's home or country
  • alltudioto send into exile

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

exile. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exile

MLA

“exile.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exile. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “exile,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exile.

Source: exile on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.