Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'exception' holds great significance in many cultures and languages, denoting something that is not typical or common. It's a word that represents uniqueness, individuality, and difference. From a philosophical perspective, exceptions can challenge our assumptions and biases, encouraging us to think more deeply and critically about the world around us.
Historically, the concept of exceptions has played a crucial role in shaping legal and judicial systems. The Latin phrase
Afrikaans | uitsondering | ||
Uitsondering in Afrikaans also means reservation or exception from the rule. | |||
Amharic | በስተቀር | ||
The word "በስተቀር" can also mean "apart from", "aside from", "excluding", "leaving aside", or "except". | |||
Hausa | banda | ||
Hausa "banda" comes from Proto-Afro-Asiatic "*bund-a", with its reflexes in other Afro-Asiatic languages being "*b-n-d" and "*b-n-t". | |||
Igbo | ewezuga | ||
The Igbo word "ewezuga" is derived from the verb "ezu" (to escape) and the noun "uga" (fate), hence its meaning of "exception." | |||
Malagasy | afa-tsy | ||
The word "afa-tsy" in Malagasy originates from the verb "afa-ka" (to leave out, to exclude). | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | kupatula | ||
The word "kupatula" can also refer to the act of taking something out of a place or group. | |||
Shona | kunze | ||
The word 'kunze' can also refer to a 'hole'. | |||
Somali | marka laga reebo | ||
The Somali word "marka laga reebo" ("exception") implies "other than when". | |||
Sesotho | mokhelo | ||
Mokhelo can also refer to a rule or law that cannot be broken. | |||
Swahili | ubaguzi | ||
In Tanzania, 'ubaguzi' can also refer to a social or economic disparity between groups. | |||
Xhosa | ngaphandle | ||
Ngaphandle comes from 'ukunga' and 'phakathi' (out of/from + middle), hence, something outside/away from the norm. | |||
Yoruba | imukuro | ||
The word "imukuro" can also mean "deviation" or "departure" in Yoruba. | |||
Zulu | okuhlukile | ||
The word "okuhlukile" in Zulu can refer to either an exception or a difference. | |||
Bambara | fɔ | ||
Ewe | esi do le emm | ||
Kinyarwanda | bidasanzwe | ||
Lingala | longola | ||
Luganda | okujjako | ||
Sepedi | fapanago | ||
Twi (Akan) | deɛ ɛnka ho | ||
Arabic | استثناء | ||
استثناء also means "exclusion" or "omission" in Arabic and is derived from the root word "ن-س-ي" (n-s-y), meaning "to forget". | |||
Hebrew | יוצא מן הכלל | ||
"יוצא מן הכלל" is also the Hebrew expression meaning "outstanding or exceptional". (lit., "going out from the whole") | |||
Pashto | استثنا | ||
"استثنا" means both "exception" and "extravagance" or "excess". | |||
Arabic | استثناء | ||
استثناء also means "exclusion" or "omission" in Arabic and is derived from the root word "ن-س-ي" (n-s-y), meaning "to forget". |
Albanian | përjashtim | ||
"Përjashtim" is a word of Latin origin, derived from the word "exceptio," meaning "objection" or "defense." | |||
Basque | salbuespena | ||
In Basque, "salbuespena" is a compound word derived from "salbu" (avoiding) and "poena" (punishment), highlighting its meaning as an exemption from a penalty. | |||
Catalan | excepció | ||
The word "excepció" in Catalan derives from the Latin "exceptio", meaning "objection" or "defense". | |||
Croatian | iznimka | ||
Croatian "iznimka" comes from the Persian language, where it means "permission" or "leave". | |||
Danish | undtagelse | ||
The word "undtagelse" derives from the Old Norse word "undantaka," which means "to except" or "to exempt." | |||
Dutch | uitzondering | ||
"Uitzondering" literally means "out-sitting" and is related to the words "zitten" (to sit) and "uitzitten" (to serve one's sentence). | |||
English | exception | ||
The word "exception" comes from the Latin "excipere," meaning "to take out" or "to exclude" | |||
French | exception | ||
The French word "exception" is derived from the Latin verb "excipere," meaning "to seize" or "to take up". In French, it can also mean an objection or reservation. | |||
Frisian | útsûndering | ||
The Frisian word | |||
Galician | excepción | ||
En galego, "excepción" significa "excepción" pero también "exención". | |||
German | ausnahme | ||
"Ausnahme" also means "expulsion" and "banishment". | |||
Icelandic | undantekning | ||
Undantekning comes from the Old Norse word "undantekja", meaning "to distinguish," and is also used to describe a special permit or a contract exemption. | |||
Irish | eisceacht | ||
The Irish word "eisceacht" can also refer to "a warning" or "an obstacle". | |||
Italian | eccezione | ||
The etymology of the Italian word "eccezione" traces back to the Latin "excipere," meaning "to take up," which reflects its legal usage as an objection. | |||
Luxembourgish | ausnam | ||
The word "Ausnam" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "*uz-namjan", meaning "to take out" or "to exempt". | |||
Maltese | eċċezzjoni | ||
The word "eċċezzjoni" comes from the Latin word "exceptio", meaning "objection". | |||
Norwegian | unntak | ||
"Unntak" derives from the Old Norse "undanteka" (to avoid, to escape), formed by the prefix "und" (away, not) and "teka" (seize, take, make). | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | exceção | ||
The word "exceção" in Portuguese can also mean "excuse" or "apology". | |||
Scots Gaelic | eisgeachd | ||
"Eisgeachd" is the past tense or conditional tense of the verb "easgaidh," which also refers to a person who has escaped from justice, a runaway. | |||
Spanish | excepción | ||
In Spanish the word "excepción" also means "defense," a usage which comes from Latin. | |||
Swedish | undantag | ||
The Swedish word 'undantag' originates from the prefix 'und-' (out, under) and the noun 'tag' (taken), making it 'taken out' or 'exempted'. | |||
Welsh | eithriad | ||
The Welsh word "eithriad" is cognate with the Irish "eisceacht" and "aithreachas," all with meanings related to penitence and repentance. |
Belarusian | выключэнне | ||
Bosnian | izuzetak | ||
The word "izuzetak" is derived from the Slavic word "izvъn-", meaning "outside", and "-etak", meaning "act" or "deed". | |||
Bulgarian | изключение | ||
"Изуетък" - изтръгване, изхвърляне, изтегляне, изключване, изваждане, изземване, освобождаване, изключване, отчуждаване, премахване, отделяне, изолиране, разделяне, деликт и прочее." | |||
Czech | výjimka | ||
The word výjimka derives from the Old Czech word "vyjímati", meaning to take out, to exempt. | |||
Estonian | erand | ||
The Estonian word "erand" is related to the Finnish "ero," meaning "difference" or "separation." | |||
Finnish | poikkeus | ||
"Poikkeus" is derived from the verb "poiketa," meaning "to deviate" or "to visit briefly." | |||
Hungarian | kivétel | ||
‘Kivétel’ also means ‘advantage’ or ‘privilege’ and is probably derived from the Medieval Latin word ‘exceptio’, meaning ‘objection’. | |||
Latvian | izņēmums | ||
Izņēmums in Latvian originates from the verb “ņemt” (“to take”), meaning literally 'something taken out'. | |||
Lithuanian | išimtis | ||
The word "išimtis" is cognate with the Latvian word "izņemums" and has the alternate meaning of "withdrawal". | |||
Macedonian | исклучок | ||
The Macedonian word "исклучок" also means "objection" or "protest". | |||
Polish | wyjątek | ||
The Polish word "wyjątek" comes from the verb "wyjąć", which means "to take out" or "to remove." | |||
Romanian | excepție | ||
"Excepție" derives from Latin "ex-capere" meaning "to remove from the rest" and also can mean "an objection" or "an excuse". | |||
Russian | исключение | ||
'Исключение' derives from the verb 'исключать' (to exclude), which in turn comes from 'иск' (out) and 'ключать' (to key, or close). This word may also refer to a derivative in mathematics, an exception in programming, or a privilege. | |||
Serbian | изузетак | ||
The word "изузетак" in Serbian also means "extract" and "excerpt". | |||
Slovak | výnimkou | ||
V slovak language the word „výnimkou“ has two meanings – it means both the action of taking something out from something and it also means that it does not apply for someone. | |||
Slovenian | izjema | ||
The word 'izjema' can also mean 'exceptional' or 'extraordinary'. | |||
Ukrainian | виняток | ||
The Ukrainian word "виняток" derives from the Old Church Slavonic word "иняти", meaning "to receive" or "to accept" |
Bengali | ব্যতিক্রম | ||
ব্যতিক্রম is derived from Sanskrit 'vyatikrama', meaning 'to transgress', 'to violate'. | |||
Gujarati | અપવાદ | ||
The word "અપવાદ" can also refer to an objection or protest. | |||
Hindi | अपवाद | ||
The word 'अपवाद' also means 'exclusion' and 'objection'. | |||
Kannada | ವಿನಾಯಿತಿ | ||
The word 'ವಿನಾಯಿತಿ' ('exception') in Kannada is derived from the Sanskrit word 'vinivartaka', meaning 'to avert, to prevent, to ward off'. | |||
Malayalam | ഒഴിവാക്കൽ | ||
The word "ഒഴിവാക്കൽ" derives from the root "ഒഴി" meaning "to leave out" and the suffix "-ക്കൽ" denoting a process or action, and thus carries the sense of "excluding" or "making an exemption". | |||
Marathi | अपवाद | ||
The term 'अपवाद' also refers to a 'restriction' or a 'limitation' in certain contexts. | |||
Nepali | अपवाद | ||
The word "अपवाद" in Nepali has an alternate meaning of "objection" and an etymological root in the Sanskrit word "प्रतिपादन" meaning "establishment". | |||
Punjabi | ਅਪਵਾਦ | ||
The Punjabi word "ਅਪਵਾਦ" (apvād) is derived from the Sanskrit word "अपवाद" (apavāda), which originally meant "defamation" or "reproach". | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ව්යතිරේකය | ||
Tamil | விதிவிலக்கு | ||
Telugu | మినహాయింపు | ||
Urdu | رعایت | ||
The word 'رعایت' is derived from the Arabic word 'راع' meaning 'to see' or 'to look after', and in Urdu it also carries the meaning of 'consideration' or 'regard'. |
Chinese (Simplified) | 例外 | ||
The character "例" in "例外" originally meant "bamboo basket" and later evolved to mean "rule" or "law" | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 例外 | ||
除了最常見的「例外」之外,「例外」一詞在中文中還有一個不太常見的意思,即「法外開恩」。 | |||
Japanese | 例外 | ||
"例外" literally means "outside the law" and thus has connotations of a forbidden activity that may result in punishment and is different from the concept in English. | |||
Korean | 예외 | ||
'예외'는 '예사롭지 않은'을 뜻하는 '예'와 '거스를'을 뜻하는 '외'의 합성어 | |||
Mongolian | онцгой тохиолдол | ||
In Mongolian the word "онцгой тохиолдол" also means a case that occurs only one time. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | ခြွင်းချက် | ||
Indonesian | pengecualian | ||
The Indonesian word "pengecualian" is derived from the root word "kecuali", meaning "except", and the prefix "pen-", which indicates a process or action. Thus, "pengecualian" literally means the "act or process of excepting" something or making an exception for it. | |||
Javanese | pangecualian | ||
In Ngoko speech, the word "pangecualian" can also mean "extraordinary" or "abnormal". | |||
Khmer | ករណីលើកលែង | ||
The literal meaning of ករណីលើកលែង is literally "the reason behind lifting" and it means an exceptional circumstance in which a rule does not apply. | |||
Lao | ຂໍ້ຍົກເວັ້ນ | ||
Malay | pengecualian | ||
The word 'pengecualian' is derived from the root word 'kecuali', which means 'except' or 'excluding'. | |||
Thai | ข้อยกเว้น | ||
In Thai, "ข้อยกเว้น" can also mean "a condition that is not the rule" or "an exemption from a rule or obligation." | |||
Vietnamese | ngoại lệ | ||
The word "ngoại lệ" also means "foreigner" or "outsider" in Vietnamese. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | pagbubukod | ||
Azerbaijani | istisna | ||
The word "istisna" has multiple meanings in Azerbaijani, including "exemption," "privilege," and "immunity." | |||
Kazakh | ерекшелік | ||
The root word "ерек" in Kazakh is derived from Arabic word "فرق" (faraqa) which originally meant "separating, distinguishing, parting, dividing", but in modern Kazakh it means "separate, different". | |||
Kyrgyz | өзгөчө | ||
Öзгөчө also refers to a unique or special person or thing, like an "exceptional student" | |||
Tajik | истисно | ||
The word "истисно" is derived from the Persian word استثنى (istithnā), meaning "to except", "to exclude". | |||
Turkmen | kadadan çykma | ||
Uzbek | istisno | ||
Istisno may also mean "exemption", "excuse", "privilege", or "dispensation" in Uzbek. | |||
Uyghur | بۇنىڭدىن مۇستەسنا | ||
Hawaiian | hoʻokoe | ||
The Hawaiian word hoʻokoe can also refer to being out of harmony with a group, an outcast or being at variance with a rule, and to an abnormal event. | |||
Maori | okotahi | ||
The term 'okotahi' comes from the Maori words 'oko' (separate) and 'tahi' (one), implying a singularity or departure from the norm. | |||
Samoan | tuusaunoa | ||
The word "tuusaunoa" literally means "to stand out from the crowd" in Samoan, and thus means "exception". | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | pagbubukod | ||
The Filipino word "pagbubukod" is related to the word "bukod" meaning "separate", "apart", or "other". Additionally, it can mean "distinction", "exemption", or "privilege". |
Aymara | yaqha | ||
Guarani | pe'apyre | ||
Esperanto | escepto | ||
The word "escepto" can also mean "apart from" or "other than". | |||
Latin | exceptis | ||
"Exceptis" is the plural form of "exceptus" (adjective, meaning "excepted, set apart") or "exceptum" (neuter substantive, meaning "exception"). |
Greek | εξαίρεση | ||
The word "εξαίρεση" ("exception") originally meant "a taking out" or "a removal" in ancient Greek. | |||
Hmong | tshwj tsis yog | ||
'Tshwj tsis yog' may also mean 'not yet' or 'not at all'. | |||
Kurdish | îstîsna | ||
The word 'îstîsna' originates from the Arabic word 'istiṣnā' and its root is 'sana' which means 'to protect'. | |||
Turkish | istisna | ||
Also spelled istina, it comes from the Arabic word istithnā’ (استثناء), which means 'exception'. In Islamic jurisprudence, it refers to the exclusion of certain cases from a general rule, which may also be called kharāj (خراج). | |||
Xhosa | ngaphandle | ||
Ngaphandle comes from 'ukunga' and 'phakathi' (out of/from + middle), hence, something outside/away from the norm. | |||
Yiddish | ויסנעם | ||
"ויסנעם" Yiddish for "exception" derives from German "ausnehmen" "to except, exclude, reserve, make an exception"} | |||
Zulu | okuhlukile | ||
The word "okuhlukile" in Zulu can refer to either an exception or a difference. | |||
Assamese | ব্যতিক্ৰম | ||
Aymara | yaqha | ||
Bhojpuri | अपवाद | ||
Dhivehi | ޤަވައިދަށް ނުފެތޭ | ||
Dogri | अपवाद | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | pagbubukod | ||
Guarani | pe'apyre | ||
Ilocano | panangilaksid | ||
Krio | pas | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | بەدەرکردن | ||
Maithili | अपवाद | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯇꯣꯉꯥꯟꯕ | ||
Mizo | hmaih | ||
Oromo | addatti | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ବ୍ୟତିକ୍ରମ | ||
Quechua | sapaq | ||
Sanskrit | व्यपकर्ष | ||
Tatar | искәрмә | ||
Tigrinya | ዝተፈለየ | ||
Tsonga | hlawuleka | ||