exemplum

/ig-ˈzem-pləm eg-/ (ame, mw)

exemplum — noun

1. a person, event, text, or action presented as a case others should copy, avoid,

1.名詞C2
釋義

a person, event, text, or action presented as a case others should copy, avoid, or learn from, especially in formal discussion

例句

The museum used Mariam's rescue notes as an exemplum of wartime courage.

exemplum of [quality]

Professor Singh held the village clinic up as an exemplum for public health students.

hold up as an exemplum for [group]

同義詞
  • example

    the broad everyday word, with less moral or rhetorical weight

  • exemplar

    close formal term, usually stressing something worth following

  • model

    more general and often more practical than literary

文法句型

an exemplum of [quality/failure]

serve as an exemplum for [group]

cite something as an exemplum

用法筆記

Usually appears in academic, historical, or literary writing rather than everyday speech. It often suggests that the case is being set out for moral or practical reflection, not just mentioned as a neutral example.

常見錯誤

❌Can you give an exemplum of a red fruit?
✅Can you give an example of a red fruit?
💡'exemplum' is too formal and literary for ordinary classroom examples.
❌The new phone is an exemplum because many people bought it.
✅The new phone is a model for later designs.
💡'exemplum' usually involves a case cited for imitation, warning, or reflection.

2. a brief story brought in to back up a speaker's point or teach a moral lesson, e

2.名詞C2
釋義

a brief story brought in to back up a speaker's point or teach a moral lesson, especially in sermons or older literature

例句

Brother Tomas opened his sermon with an exemplum about a baker who forgave a thief.

open a sermon with an exemplum about [topic]

In class, Mei traced each exemplum to the moral written in the margin.

trace an exemplum to its moral

同義詞
  • anecdote

    broader and less tied to moral teaching

  • parable

    closer in meaning, but more strongly associated with a self-contained moral story

  • illustration

    plain term for a supporting story or case in speech or writing

文法句型

an exemplum about [topic]

use an exemplum in a sermon

open with an exemplum

用法筆記

Most often used in discussions of preaching, rhetoric, and medieval writing. Unlike a general 'example', this sense names a small story inserted to make a lesson memorable.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher gave an exemplum of the answer on the board.
✅The teacher gave an example of the answer on the board.
💡this sense is a short teaching story, not an ordinary sample.
❌The fox fable was an exemplum because animals talked in it.
✅The fox story worked as an exemplum because the preacher used it to teach a lesson.
💡the term depends on how the story is used, not on animal characters.