exhibition
ehk-sih-BIH-shuhn
Exhibition (noun) means a public display of art, objects, or products, often in a gallery or museum. Example: “The museum is hosting an exhibition of ancient Egyptian artefacts.”
noun
1
A public display of art, objects, or products, often in a gallery or museum.
"The museum is hosting an exhibition of ancient Egyptian artefacts."
"We queued for an hour to see the exhibition of modern photography."
"The school's art exhibition is open to parents on Friday evening."
2
A clear public display of a skill, quality, or behaviour.
"The final set was an exhibition of pure tennis skill."
"His outburst in the meeting was an embarrassing exhibition of temper."
"The dancers gave a graceful exhibition of strength and balance on stage."
How to use exhibition
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA public show — of art and objects, or of a skill or behaviour.
Common mistake
"Make an exhibition of yourself" means embarrassing yourself in public — it doesn't need to involve art or objects.
Common pairings
an art exhibition
exhibition match
make an exhibition of yourself
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Word forms
- Plural
- exhibitions
- Third person singular
- exhibitions
- Past tense
- exhibitioned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The museum is hosting an _____ of ancient Egyptian artefacts.
Etymology
From Old French exhibicion, built from "exhibit" plus the noun ending "-ion."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for exhibition
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for exhibition →
Frequently asked questions
What does “exhibition” mean?
The word “exhibition” means a public display of art, objects, or products, often in a gallery or museum. In plain terms, a public show — of art and objects, or of a skill or behaviour.
How do you pronounce “exhibition”?
“Exhibition” is pronounced ehk-sih-BIH-shuhn (/ɛksɪˈbɪʃən/ in IPA).
How do you use “exhibition” in a sentence?
Here is “exhibition” used in a sentence: “The museum is hosting an exhibition of ancient Egyptian artefacts.”
What part of speech is “exhibition”?
“Exhibition” is a noun.
Where does the word “exhibition” come from?
The word “exhibition” comes from Old French. From Old French exhibicion, built from "exhibit" plus the noun ending "-ion.".
Is “exhibition” a common word?
“Exhibition” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “exhibition” have?
“Exhibition” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a public display of art, objects, or products, often in a gallery or museum.
What is the difference between an exhibition and an exhibit?
In British English, an exhibition is the whole public show, while an exhibit is a single item or display within it. In American English, exhibit is commonly used for the whole show as well, so 'an art exhibit' and 'an art exhibition' can mean the same thing.
What is the difference between an exhibition and an expo?
An exhibition is any public display of art, objects, or products, often in a gallery or museum. An expo — short for exposition — is typically a large-scale commercial or international exhibition, usually focused on trade, technology, or industry.
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