exemplified

Exemplified is the past tense and past participle of the verb exemplify. It means to serve as a good example of a general rule, principle, or quality; to illustrate or demonstrate by example.

Etymology: The term derives from Latin exemplum, meaning “an example,” and entered English via the verb exemplify, formed from medieval Latin exemplificare and related to exemplum. Exemplified follows the regular -ed inflection for past tense and past participle forms.

Usage: It is typically used to indicate that a particular instance demonstrates a concept. Common constructions include “exemplified by” or “exemplified in.” In academic writing, it introduces cases, observations, or data that illustrate a theory or principle. The word often conveys a more assertive sense than “illustrated,” by highlighting a representative example that clarifies or confirms a point.

Examples: Her meticulous field notes exemplified the careful attention required for ethnographic research. The company’s commitment to sustainability is exemplified by its use of renewable energy sources. The dataset exemplified a recurring pattern that the researchers had predicted.

See also: Exemplar, exemplify, exemplary, exemplification, epitomize.