exclude

Exclude is a verb meaning to prevent someone or something from being included, to remove from consideration, or to shut out. The related noun is exclusion, and the adjective forms exclusive or excluded. Etymology: from Latin excludere, ex- meaning out, and cludere meaning to close.

In mathematics and logic, to exclude an element means to remove it from a set. For example, if A is a set and x is excluded, x is not a member of A. In probability and statistics, exclusion conditions or events restrict the sample space by excluding certain outcomes, often used in conditional probability or in defining inclusion and exclusion criteria for studies.

In computing and data processing, exclude patterns identify files or data to ignore, such as in version control ignore files or build configurations. In query languages, conditions may exclude records with NOT or != operators. In software development, excluding certain features or data can be part of feature toggles or data filtering.

In research and law, exclusion criteria determine who is not eligible for a study or trial. In law, exclusionary rules govern the admissibility of evidence obtained in violation of rights, and exclusion clauses in contracts limit liability or scope. The term thus covers several domains, all centered on the idea of leaving something out of a set, a process, or an outcome.