ex

The word “ex” means a former romantic partner, such as an ex-girlfriend, ex-boyfriend, or ex-spouse. In plain terms, short for "former" — most commonly used for a past romantic partner.

“Ex” is pronounced ehks (/ɛks/ in IPA).

Here is “ex” used in a sentence: “She ran into her ex at the supermarket.”

Depending on how it is used, “ex” can be a noun, a verb and an adjective.

The word “ex” comes from Latin. From the Latin prefix ex-, meaning "out of" or "former.".

“Ex” is a very common word in modern English.

“Ex” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a former romantic partner, such as an ex-girlfriend, ex-boyfriend, or ex-spouse.

"Ex" is an informal noun for a former romantic partner, such as an ex-girlfriend, ex-boyfriend, ex-husband, or ex-wife. It is simply short for those longer terms. The prefix "ex-" means "former," so your "ex" is someone you used to be in a relationship with.

Used alone as a noun, "ex" is informal and conversational. In formal writing you would more likely say "former partner," "ex-spouse," or "former husband" or "wife." In everyday speech, though, "my ex" is completely natural and instantly understood.

They mean the same thing but differ in tone. "Ex" is casual shorthand used in conversation, while "former partner" is more formal and neutral. You might tell a friend about "my ex" but write "her former partner" in a report or official document.

"I ran into my ex at the coffee shop" means a former romantic partner. As a standalone noun, "ex" almost always refers to a past girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or wife, and the exact relationship is usually clear from context.