excepting

UK: /ɪkˈsɛptɪŋ/ US: /ɪkˈsɛptɪŋ/ ,(ik sep′ting)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ex•cept•ing /ɪkˈsɛptɪŋ/   prep. 

1. except:
   All were killed, excepting the captain.

See -cep-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ex•cept•ing  (ik sep′ting), prep. 

1. excluding;
   barring;
   saving;
   with the exception of;
   except:
   Excepting the last chapter, the book is finished.

conj. 

2. [Archaic.] except;
   unless;
   save.

• except² + -ing² 1540–50

Synonyms

• 1. . See except ¹.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

excepting / ɪkˈsɛptɪŋ/ preposition

1. excluding; except; except for (esp in the phrase not excepting)

conjunction

1. an archaic word for unless

USAGE
The use of excepting is considered by many people to be acceptable only after not, only, or without. Elsewhere except is preferred: every country agreed to the proposal except (not excepting) Spain; he was well again except for (not excepting) a slight pain in his chest

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ex•cept¹ /ɪkˈsɛpt/   prep. 

1. with the exclusion of;
   other than;
   but:
   They were all there except me.

conj. 

2. [~ (+ that)] only;
   with the exception:
   These are parallel cases except (that) one is younger than the other.
3. [~ + adverb/phrase/clause] otherwise than;
   but:
   Our defenses were well fortified except in that corner.

Idioms

4. Idioms except for, if it were not for:
   They would travel more except for lack of money.

ex•cept² /ɪkˈsɛpt/   v. [~ + object]

1. to exclude;
   leave out:
   The A students were excepted from taking the exam.

See -cep-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ex•cept¹  (ik sept′), prep. 

1. with the exclusion of;
   excluding;
   save;
   but:
   They were all there except me.
2. Idioms except for, if it were not for:
   She would travel more except for lack of money.

conj. 

3. only;
   with the exception (usually fol. by that):
   parallel cases except that one is younger than the other.
4. otherwise than;
   but (fol. by an adv., phrase, or clause):
   well fortified except here.
5. [Archaic.] unless.

• Latin exceptus (past participle of excipere to take out), equivalent. to ex- ex-¹ + -ceptus (combining form of captus, past participle of capere to take)
• Middle English: origin, originally, past participle adjective, adjectival 1350–1400

Synonyms

• 1. Except (more rarely excepting),
  but, save point out something excluded from a general statement.
  Except emphasizes the excluding:
  Take any number except 12.
  But merely states the exclusion:
  We ate all but one.
  Save is now mainly found in poetic use:
  nothing in sight save sky and sea.

ex•cept²  (ik sept′), v.t. 

1. to exclude;
   leave out:
   present company excepted.

v.i. 

2. to object (usually fol. by to or against):
   to except to a statement; to except against a witness.

• Latin exceptāre, derivative of exceptus (see except¹)
• Middle French excepter
• Middle English excepten 1350–1400

ex•cept′a•ble, adj. 
Usage

See accept. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

except / ɪkˈsɛpt/ preposition

1. Also: except for other than; apart from; with the exception of: he likes everyone except you, except for this mistake, you did very well
2. except that ⇒ (conjunction) but for the fact that; were it not true that

conjunction

1. an archaic word for unless
2. except that; but for the fact that: I would have arrived earlier, except I lost my way

verb

1. (transitive) to leave out; omit; exclude
2. (intransitive) often followed by to: to take exception; object

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French excepter to leave out, from Latin exceptāre, from excipere to take out, from capere to take