exponent

noun ex·po·nent \ ik-ˈspō-nənt , ˈek-ˌspō- \

Updated on: 7 Dec 2017

Definition of exponent

1 : a symbol written above and to the right of a mathematical expression to indicate the operation of raising to a power

2 a : one that expounds or interprets

b : one that champions, practices, or exemplifies

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See exponent defined for kids

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Examples of exponent in a Sentence

She has become one of America's foremost exponents of the romantic style in interior design.
The exponent 3 in 10₃ indicates 10 x 10 x 10.

Recent Examples of exponent from the Web

There’s no sense in writing off a vast, rewarding, uniquely American art form because of its worst exponents.

— theodore kupfer, National Review, "Conservatives Should Reconsider Their Opposition to Hip-Hop," 24 Oct. 2017
Even more confounding is the absence of Schumann’s solo works from one of his Piano Concerto’s greatest exponents.

— david mermelstein, WSJ, "‘Rudolf Serkin: The Complete Columbia Album Collection’ Review," 17 Oct. 2017
Korchak is taking his place as perhaps the leading contemporary exponent of the demanding title part.

— john von rhein, chicagotribune.com, "Triumphant new 'Orphee' presages strong partnership of Lyric Opera, Joffrey Ballet," 24 Sep. 2017
Back in the 1600s, Fermat was trying to figure out if the equation would work out for exponents greater than 2.

— andrew moseman, Popular Mechanics, "Here's a Fun Math Goof in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'," 1 Sep. 2017
Ed Sheeran’s five-times platinum Divide (Warner) slips 2-3 while Florida metal exponents Trivium snag a fifth top 10 on the national album survey with The Sin And The Sentence (Roadrunner/Warner), their eighth album, which is new at No.

— lars brandle, Billboard, "Pink Beats Niall Horan to Australia's Album Chart Crown," 30 Oct. 2017
Like the poster artist Victor Moscoso and the multimedia group USCO, Mr. Arnold, who during the late 1960s designed handbills for rock bands and programmed midnight shows at an old San Francisco movie-house, was an exponent of hippie modernism.

— j. hoberman, New York Times, "Tangled Bodies and Blown Minds, Complete With the Cockettes," 13 Sep. 2017
The man is an exponent of lunacy, his faith unlikely to be shaken by anything that happens in Venezuela or was written in Philadelphia.

— theodore kupfer, National Review, "No, George Ciccariello-Maher Doesn’t Believe in Academic Freedom," 12 Oct. 2017
Allen came to the work of de Beer by way of Bill Mahaney, a professor emeritus at York University in Toronto and an outspoken exponent of the Traversette.

— Smithsonian, "How (and Where) Did Hannibal Cross the Alps?," 29 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exponent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

You probably won't be surprised to learn that "exponent" shares an ancestor with "proponent" - and indeed, the Latin ponere ("to put") is at the root of both terms. "Exponent" descends from "exponere" ("to explain" or "to set forth"), which joins "ponere" with "ex-" ("out"). "Proponent" traces to "proponere" ("to display" or "to declare"), from "ponere" and "pro-" ("before"). "Proponent" can describe someone who offers a proposal (it's related to "propose," which also ultimately comes from "proponere"), but today it usually means "one who argues in favor of something." "Exponent" can also refer to someone who is an advocate, but it tends to refer especially to someone who stands out as a shining representative of something, and in addition it has retained its earlier meaning of "one who expounds."

Origin and Etymology of exponent

Latin exponent-, exponens, present participle of exponere — more at expose

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1734

See Words from the same year

exponent Synonyms

Synonyms

advocate, advocator, apostle, backer, booster, champion, expounder, espouser, friend, gospeler (or gospeller), herald, hierophant, high priest, paladin, promoter, proponent, protagonist, supporter, true believer, tub-thumper, white knight

Antonyms

adversary, antagonist, opponent

Related Words

loyalist, partisan (also partizan), stalwart; adherent, cohort, disciple, follower; interpreter; applauder, cheerleader, encourager, fellow traveler

Near Antonyms

enemy, foe, rival; belittler, critic, faultfinder

Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms

abscissa, denominator, divisor, equilateral, hypotenuse, logarithm, oblique, radii, rhomb

EXPONENT Defined for English Language Learners

exponent

noun

Definition of exponent for English Language Learners

: someone who supports a particular cause, belief, etc.
: someone who is known for a particular method, style, etc.
mathematics : a symbol that is written above and to the right of a number to show how many times the number is to be multiplied by itself