Exempli

Exempli is the genitive singular form of exemplum, a neuter Latin noun of the second declension meaning “an example” or “a model.” In Latin syntax, exempli is used to express possession or association, as in phrases that denote “of the example.”

The most familiar construction containing exempli is exempli gratia, literally “for the sake of the example.” This expression is commonly translated into English as “for example” and is widely used to introduce illustrative items. A less common variant is exempli causa, meaning “for the sake of the example,” which serves a similar purpose in some scholarly or rhetorical contexts.

In practice, exempli appears primarily within fixed Latin phrases rather than as a standalone word in English-language writing. In modern usage, writers typically render the meaning in English—e.g., “for example”—and rely on the abbreviation e.g. to indicate examples. When Latin phrases are quoted or taught, exempli gratia is often noted as the source of the abbreviation e.g.

Etymology and form: exemplum comes from Latin, with exempli as its genitive singular form. The phrase exempli gratia has long circulated in Latin literature and later in scholarly and legal writing to introduce exemplification. The term today is mainly of interest for linguistic, classical studies, or philological contexts, rather than as a frequently used word in ordinary English prose.