LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
verbthird conjugation

expōnō

expōnō (present infinitive expōnere, perfect active exposuī or exposīvī, supine expositum or expostum)
Classical[ɛkˈspoː.noː]Ecclesiastical[ekˈspɔː.no]
expositus perf. pass. ind.; plupf. pass. ind.; fut. perf. pass. ind.; perf. pass. subj.; plupf. pass. subj.; perf. pass. ptcp.

Meaning

  1. to make conspicuous, to put something where everyone may see it: to expose, exhibit, display, set out
  2. to set forth
  3. to explain
  4. to expose, abandon (Ancient Greek ἐκτίθημι (ektíthēmi))
    quom conspicatust primulo crepusculo puellam exponi. Adit extemplo ad mulierem,c. 180 BCE, Plautus, Casina 4–42
    ex te recte eum natum putent.165 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Hecyra 3.399–400

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

ē nāvī in terram pōnō
set out; land
expōnō -ere, -posuī — in De Bello Gallico II, ch. 20

Conjugation conjugation 3

active indicative
formpresentimperfectfutureperfectpluperfectfut. perfect
1st sg.expōnōexpōnēbamexpōnamexposuī
exposīvī		exposueram
exposīveram, exposīram		exposuerō
exposīverō, exposīrō
2nd sg.expōnisexpōnēbāsexpōnēsexposuistī
exposīvistī, exposīstī		exposuerās
exposīverās, exposīrās		exposueris
exposīveris, exposīris
3rd sg.expōnitexpōnēbatexpōnetexposuit
exposīvit, exposīt		exposuerat
exposīverat, exposīrat		exposuerit
exposīverit, exposīrit
1st pl.expōnimusexpōnēbāmusexpōnēmusexposuimus
exposīvimus, exposīmus		exposuerāmus
exposīverāmus, exposīrāmus		exposuerimus
exposīverimus, exposīrimus
2nd pl.expōnitisexpōnēbātisexpōnētisexposuistis
exposīvistis, exposīstis		exposuerātis
exposīverātis, exposīrātis		exposueritis
exposīveritis, exposīritis
3rd pl.expōnuntexpōnēbantexpōnentexposuērunt
exposuēre, exposīvērunt, exposīrunt, exposīvēre		exposuerant
exposīverant, exposīrant		exposuerint
exposīverint, exposīrint
active subjunctive
active subjunctive
formpresentimperfectperfectpluperfect
1st sg.expōnamexpōneremexposuerim
exposīverim, exposīrim		exposuissem
exposīvissem, exposīssem
2nd sg.expōnāsexpōnerēsexposuerīs
exposīverīs, exposīrīs		exposuissēs
exposīvissēs, exposīssēs
3rd sg.expōnatexpōneretexposuerit
exposīverit, exposīrit		exposuisset
exposīvisset, exposīsset
1st pl.expōnāmusexpōnerēmusexposuerīmus
exposīverīmus, exposīrīmus		exposuissēmus
exposīvissēmus, exposīssēmus
2nd pl.expōnātisexpōnerētisexposuerītis
exposīverītis, exposīrītis		exposuissētis
exposīvissētis, exposīssētis
3rd pl.expōnantexpōnerentexposuerint
exposīverint, exposīrint		exposuissent
exposīvissent, exposīssent
passive indicative
passive indicative
formpresentimperfectfuture
1st sg.expōnorexpōnēbarexpōnar
2nd sg.expōneris
expōnere		expōnēbāris
expōnēbāre		expōnēris
expōnēre
3rd sg.expōniturexpōnēbāturexpōnētur
1st pl.expōnimurexpōnēbāmurexpōnēmur
2nd pl.expōniminīexpōnēbāminīexpōnēminī
3rd pl.expōnunturexpōnēbanturexpōnentur
passive subjunctive
passive subjunctive
formpresentimperfect
1st sg.expōnarexpōnerer
2nd sg.expōnāris
expōnāre		expōnerēris
expōnerēre
3rd sg.expōnāturexpōnerētur
1st pl.expōnāmurexpōnerēmur
2nd pl.expōnāminīexpōnerēminī
3rd pl.expōnanturexpōnerentur
imperative
imperative
formactivepassive
pres. 2nd sg.expōneexpōnere
pres. 2nd pl.expōniteexpōniminī
fut. 2nd sg.expōnitōexpōnitor
fut. 3rd sg.expōnitōexpōnitor
fut. 2nd pl.expōnitōte—
fut. 3rd pl.expōnuntōexpōnuntor
infinitives & participles
formactivepassive
present infinitiveexpōnereexpōnī
perfect infinitiveexposuisse
exposīvisse, exposīsse		expositum esse
expostum esse
future infinitiveexpositūrum esse
expostūrum esse		expositum īrī
expostum īrī
present participleexpōnēns—
perfect participle—expositus
expostus, exposita, expositā, expositae, expositam, expositārum, expositās, exposite, expositī, expositīs, expositō, expositōrum, expositōs
future participleexpositūrus
expostūrus, expositūra, expositūrā, expositūrae, expositūram, expositūrārum, expositūrās, expositūre, expositūrī, expositūrīs, expositūrō, expositūrōrum, expositūrōs, expositūrum		expōnendus
expōnundus, expōnenda, expōnendā, expōnendae, expōnendam, expōnendārum, expōnendās, expōnende, expōnendīs, expōnendōrum, expōnendōs
gerundexpōnendī, expōnendō, expōnendumsupineexpositum, expositū

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

vitam alicuius exponere
to give an account of a man's life.
summatim aliquid exponere
to dwell only on the main points.
Africae situm paucis exponere
to give a brief exposition of the geography of Africa.
praemium exponere or proponere
(to encourage) by offering a reward.
exponere aliquid or de aliqua re
to give an account of a thing (either orally or in writing).
ad iniurias fortunae expositum esse
to be a victim of the malice of Fortune.
exponere, proponere merces (venales)
to set out goods for sale.
milites in terram, in terra exponere
to disembark troops.
2 more phrases
de ingenio moribusque alicuius exponere
to make a character-sketch of a person.
sic exponere aliquid, quasi agatur res (non quasi narretur)
to represent a thing dramatically.

ex-pōno, pŏsŭi, pŏsĭtum, 3 (ante-class.
I. perf. exposivit, Plaut. Cas. 4, 4, 27; sync. expostus, Verg. A. 10, 694; Stat. Th. 7, 197), v. a., to put or set out, to set forth, expose (class.; most freq. in the trop. signif.; cf.: expedio, explano, explico).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: stravit pelliculis haedinis lectulos et exposuit vasa Samia, set out, Cic. Mur. 36, 75: vasa, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 16, § 35: apparatum in porticibus, Suet. Caes. 10; cf.: aliquid in publico, Plin. 35, 7, 33, § 52; cf. id. 15, 5, 6, § 21: herbam in sole, Col. 12, 28, 1: aliquem ictu, to put out, turn out, Plaut. Truc. 3, 1, 14: cubito, id. Cas. 4, 4, 27.—
B. In partic.
1. Of children, to expose: puellam ad necem, Plaut. Cist. 1, 3, 18; id. Cas. prol. 41; Ter. Heaut. 4, 1, 37; Cic. Rep. 2, 2; Liv. 1, 4, 5; cf. id. 1, 6, 3: ad januam matris, Suet. Claud. 27 al.—
2. Naut. t. t.
a. To set on shore, to land, disembark: milites ex navibus, Caes. B. G. 4, 37, 1; for which: socios de puppibus, Verg. A. 10, 288: milites in terram, Caes. B. C. 3, 23, 2: expositis omnibus copiis, id. ib. 3, 29, 2; 1, 31 fin.; Liv. 24, 40, 9: ibi in terram, id. 34, 8, 7; Front. Strat. 2, 5, 44; cf.: in litora, Liv. 37, 28, 8: aegra mancipia in insulam, Suet. Claud. 25; but also with abl.: in Africa, Liv. 28, 44, 10 Drak. N. cr.: in terra, Vell. 2, 79, 4: in litore, Suet. Caes. 4; Just. 22, 5; Liv. 2, 22, 3; 26, 17, 2; Sen. Ep. 53, 2: in portu, Just. 18, 1, 3: ibi Themistoclem, Nep. Them. 8, 7: ad eum locum milites, Caes. B. C. 3, 6, 3: quibus regionibus exercitum exposuisset, id. ib. 3, 29 fin.: expositum peregrinis arenis os, Ov. M. 11, 56: quartā vix demum exponimur horā, Hor. S. 1, 5, 23: advexi frumentum; exposui, vendo meum, etc., have unloaded, unpacked, opened, Cic. Off. 3, 12, 51: merces, Dig. 14, 2, 10.—
b. To throw on the ground, throw down: paene exposivit cubito, Plaut. Cas. 4, 4, 34.—
c. To throw overboard: si propter necessitatem adversae tempestatis expositum onus fuerit, Dig. 39, 4, 16, § 8.—
3. Mercant. t. t.: pecuniam, to offer a sum to one, place at one's disposal, to be ready to pay: de Oppio bene curasti, quod ei DCCC. exposuisti, Cic. Att. 5, 4, 3 (for which, aperuisti, id. ib. 5, 1, 2).—
4. Pregn., to leave exposed or unprotected, to expose, lay open (not ante-Aug.): ad ictus, Liv. 9, 35, 6; Curt. 8, 14, 31: ille ad omnes ictus expositus, id. 9, 5, 9: ne inermes provinciae barbaris nationibus exponerentur, Tac. H. 3, 5: exercitum hosti, Flor. 3, 11; Plin. 11, 19, 21, § 67: ceteris animalibus imbecillitatem hominum, Lact. 3, 23, 10; id. Epit. 9, 1; Val. Max. 7, 1, ext. 2: piscibus beluisque, Petr. 115: exposito solibus loco, Plin. 15, 5, 6, § 21.—Pass. absol.: (iracundi) simplices videntur, quia expositi sunt, Sen. de Ira, 2, 16, 3.
II. Trop.
A. In gen.: totam causam, judices, explicemus atque ante oculos expositam consideremus, Cic. Rosc. Am. 12, 34; cf.: vitam alterius in oculis conspectuque omnium exponere, id. Div. in Caecil. 8, 27: disciplina puerilis publice exposita, id. Rep. 4, 3: orationem, to publish, id. de Or. 1, 53, 227; cf.: capita exposita nec explicata, id. Brut. 44, 164: erant huic studio maxima exposita praemia, id. de Or. 1, 4, 15: praemium, to set forth, propose, id. Quint. 23, 74: vitam suam exponere ad imitandum juventuti, id. Fragm. ap. Non. 104, 3: factum expositum ad imitandum, id. Phil. 2, 44, 114: exposita ad exemplum nostra re publica, id. Rep. 1, 46: opprobrio ad omnium convicia exposito, Suet. Caes. 49: expositum ad invidiam nomen, Tac. H. 2, 53: nomen Dei, to prostitute, dishonor, Lact. 1, 7.—
B. In partic., of speech, to set forth, exhibit, relate, explain, expound; constr. with acc. and inf., or a rel. clause as object, or with de: coepit rationem hujus operis scientissime Gallus exponere, Cic. Rep. 1, 14: talis coetus, qualem exposui, id. ib. 1, 26: quae adhuc exposui, id. ib. 2, 23: obscura dilucide, id. Fin. 4, 1, 1: rem pluribus verbis, id. ib. 3, 4, 15: rem breviter, id. Cat. 3, 1, 3: mandata in senatu, id. de Or. 2, 12, 49: narrationem, id. Or. 62, 210: sententias ejus disputationis hoc libro, id. Lael. 1, 3: artes rhetoricas, id. de Or. 3, 20, 75: disputationem alicui, id. Rep. 1, 8: sermonem de amicitia alicui, id. Lael. 1, 3: eadem multitudini, Caes. B. G. 7, 38, 4: expone igitur primum animos remanere post mortem, tum docebis, etc., explain, Cic. Tusc. 1, 12, 26: apud eosdem (censores), qui magistratu abierint, edant et exponant, quid in magistratu gesserint, id. Leg. 3, 20, 47: ex memoria alicui quid senatus censuerit, id. Cat. 3, 6, 13: ab initio, res quemadmodum gesta sit, id. Rosc. Am. 5, 14; id. Rep. 1, 26; cf.: hoc de quo modo exposuit Antonius, id. de Or. 1, 22, 102; id. Fam. 1, 9, 10: expone nunc de reprehendendo, id. Part. Or. 12, 44.—In abl. neutr. absol.: Caesar contione advocata ... exposito, quid iniquitas loci posset, etc., Caes. B. G. 7, 52, 2 Oud.; so, exposito quod nuntiatum erat, Curt. 4, 13: quasi gesta bello expositurus, Tac. A. 15, 72: summum bonum exposuit vacuitatem doloris, i. q. definivit, be defined, Cic. Fin. 5, 5, 14 Madv.; cf. ib. 5, 8, 22; and, expositio, ib. § 21.—Hence, expŏsĭtus, a, um, P. a., qs. publicly set out; hence, open, free, accessible.
A. Lit.: limen, Stat. S. 1, 2, 24: census, open to all, id. ib. 2, 2, 152: numen (with nulli negatum), Luc. 5, 103; cf.: (homo) obvius et expositus, Plin. Ep. 1, 10, 2.—As subst.: ex-pŏsĭta, ōrum, n., the open parts, those exposed to view: frontem ejus tantum novi et exposita, quae ostendit etiam transeuntibus, Sen. Ep. 55, 6.—
B. Trop.
1. Accessible, affable: mores, Stat. S. 5, 3, 246.—
2. Of authors, intelligible, lucid: optimos quidem, sed tamen eorum candidissimum quemque et maxime expositum velim, Quint. 2, 5, 19.—
3. In a bad sense, common, vulgar: qui nihil expositum soleat deducere, etc., Juv. 7, 54.—Adv.: expŏ-sĭte, plainly, clearly: non exposite et aperte ostendere, sed reconditā significatione, Gell. 3, 2, 14.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éǵʰ
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éǵʰs
  3. Proto-Italic*eks
  4. Latinexpōnō

Latin ex- Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Indo-European *h₂pó Proto-Italic *po Proto-Indo-European *teḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-éyti Proto-Indo-European *tḱéytibf. Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- Proto-Indo-European *-né- Proto-Indo-European *-ti Proto-Indo-European *tḱinéti Proto-Italic *sinō Proto-Italic *pozinō Latin pōnō Latin expōnō From ex- + pōnō (“to place, put”).

Descendants
  • Catalanexposar
  • Englishexpose
  • Englishexpound
  • Englishexpone
  • Englishexposit
  • Frenchexposer
  • Frenchépondre
  • Italianesporre
  • Italiansporre
  • Portugueseexpor

Quick answers

What does expōnō mean in Latin?
expōnō, a verb, means “to make conspicuous, to put something where everyone may see it: to expose, exhibit, display, set out; to set forth; to explain”.
What are the principal parts of expōnō?
expōnō, expōnere, exposuī, expositum (third conjugation).
How do you pronounce expōnō?
In classical Latin, [ɛkˈspoː.noː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ekˈspɔː.no].
Where does expōnō come from?
Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ → Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs → Proto-Italic *eks → Latin expōnō.