What does except mean?
"Except" is one of English's most frequently used function words, serving chiefly as a preposition that carves an exclusion out of a general statement: "The museum is free every day except Mondays." It can also act as a conjunction, introducing a qualifying clause such as "except that it rained," and, more rarely, as a formal verb meaning to exclude, surviving mainly in set phrases like "present company excepted." Derived from the Latin excipere, meaning "to take out," it entered Middle English in the fourteenth century and has retained its subtractive sense ever since. Because its spelling sits so close to "accept" and "expect," it remains a classic source of confusion, yet its meaning is easy to grasp: whatever follows "except" is precisely what falls outside the rule. Its noun relative, "exception," is among the most useful words in legal and everyday argument alike.
Not including; other than.
"The office is closed every day except Christmas Day."
Often strengthened to 'except for' at the start of a sentence.
Used to introduce a clause stating an exception to a preceding statement.
"She never missed a deadline, except when she was ill."
To exclude or leave out; now chiefly in fixed phrases such as 'present company excepted'.
"Present company excepted, everyone agreed with the plan."
Formal and somewhat old-fashioned; almost always encountered in the past participle.
Despite looking like 'accept', 'except' comes from a completely different Latin verb — one meaning 'to take out' — which is why it has meant 'leaving something behind' for over six centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of except
"Except" derives from the Latin verb excipere, formed from ex- ("out") plus capere ("to take"), literally meaning "to take out." It passed into Middle English via Old French excepcion's verbal root around the fourteenth century, initially carrying both the exclusion sense and a legal sense of objecting or taking exception. Its closest relatives are the exception family (exception, exceptional) and, through the shared root capere, words such as accept, reception, and capture.
Related word forms
How except is actually used
In careful formal writing, some style guides prefer 'except for' when introducing a noun phrase at the start of a sentence ('Except for Tom, all were present'), reserving bare 'except' for later positions. The conjunction use followed by a full clause ('except that') is standard and common in speech.
Easily confused with except
'Accept' means to receive or agree to something, while 'except' means to exclude — 'I accept your offer' versus 'everyone came except her.'
'Expect' means to anticipate something happening, whereas 'except' marks an exclusion.