exilic

Exilic is an adjective relating to exile, or to the experience, period, or conditions of being exiled. It derives from the noun exile, via Latin exilium, and conveys a sense of displacement, banishment, or removal from one's homeland. The term is widely used in religious, historical, literary, and cultural contexts to discuss people, communities, events, or works associated with exile.

In biblical scholarship, exilic often describes the Babylonian captivity beginning in the early 6th century BCE, when many Judeans were deported to Babylon. The term also covers the subsequent period of exile and its effects on theology, identity, and scripture, including writings produced during or about exile. Distinctions are sometimes made between the exilic and post-exilic phases in biblical history.

In literature and the arts, exilic works are produced by authors who are in exile or by those who address exile as a theme, exploring displacement, memory, belonging, and longing. Exilic poetry, prose, and visual art frequently engage with questions of homeland, cultural survival, and the renegotiation of identity.

In contemporary usage, exilic studies intersect with migration studies, anthropology, and cultural studies, examining how exile shapes communities and how exilic experiences are narrated and transmitted. Exilic is sometimes contrasted with diasporic or emigrant terms, which highlight different aspects of movement and settlement.