exemplify
/ɛɡˈzɛmplɪfaɪ/verb
exemplify is spelled E-X-E-M-P-L-I-F-Y: 9 letters and 4 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 40,267th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, exemplify means “To show or illustrate by example” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in exemplify?
| Letters | 9: E-X-E-M-P-L-I-F-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 40,267th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is exemplify?
Exemplify appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 40,267th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce exemplify?
- /ɛɡˈzɛmplɪfaɪ/
- /ɪɡˈzɛmplɪfaɪ/
Exemplify has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-exemplify.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of exemplify
- exemplifies present, singular, he/she/it
- exemplifying participle, present
- exemplified participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does exemplify mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To show or illustrate by example.
- 2
To be an instance of or serve as an example.
- 3
To make an attested copy or transcript of (a document) under seal.
- 4
To prove by such an attested copy or transcript.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Exemplify in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense to show or illustrate by example:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | exemplifier, illustrer |
| German | exemplifizieren, veranschaulichen |
| Portuguese | exemplificar |
| Spanish | ejemplificar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does exemplify come from?
From Middle English exemplifien, from Middle French exemplifier and its etymon Medieval Latin exemplificō, from Latin exemplum (“example”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).