What does exeat mean?
An exeat is formal permission granted by an institution — most commonly a school or college — allowing a member to be absent for a defined period. The term derives directly from Latin, where exeat means 'let him or her go out', reflecting its origins in academic and ecclesiastical administration. Today it survives mainly in British usage, particularly in boarding schools, where an exeat permits a pupil to leave campus, often for a weekend known as an exeat weekend. Universities and other institutions may also issue exeats for short absences. The word carries a distinctly formal, traditional tone: in ordinary speech one would simply ask for 'leave' or 'permission', whereas requesting an exeat signals the structured world of school rules, housemasters, and signed chits. Its plural is 'exeats'. Though uncommon outside educational circles, the word offers a precise, evocative term for authorized absence and remains firmly embedded in the vocabulary of British institutional life.
nounAn exeat is official permission to be absent from an institution such as a school or college, typically granted for a short period. In British boarding schools especially, it also refers to a weekend or short leave during which pupils may leave the premises.
- Official permission to be absent from a school, college, or similar institution for a limited period.
- (British boarding schools) A weekend or short period of leave during which pupils are permitted to leave the school.
"The housemaster granted her an exeat so she could attend her grandmother's funeral."
"Pupils wishing to miss afternoon games must apply to the head of house for an exeat."
"The long exeat over half-term gave everyone a welcome break from campus life."
The plural follows regular English noun inflection; it commonly appears when referring to scheduled periods of leave, such as several exeat weekends across a school year.
"The school calendar lists three exeats each term."
Straight out of Latin, 'exeat' literally means 'let him go out' — it's a command that became a permission slip.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exeat
Exeat comes directly from Latin, the third-person singular present subjunctive of exire ('to go out'), meaning literally 'let him/her go out'. It was adopted into English in the 19th century as a noun denoting official leave of absence, particularly in school and university contexts. It shares the Latin root ire ('to go') with words such as exit, transit, and ambition.
How exeat is actually used
The word belongs chiefly to formal institutional registers and is most strongly associated with British public (boarding) schools and universities. It is rare in everyday conversation outside those settings, where 'leave' or 'permission' would normally be used instead. The plural is 'exeats'.
Easily confused with exeat
An exit is the act or place of going out itself, while an exeat is the formal permission authorizing someone to leave.