exempt

UK: /ɪgˈzɛmpt/ US: /ɪgˈzɛmpt/ ,(ig zempt′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ex•empt /ɪgˈzɛmpt/   v. [~ + object]

1. to free from an obligation, rule, or duty.

adj. [be + ~ (+ from)]

2. released from, or not subject to, an obligation, rule, or duty, etc.:
   Charitable organizations are usually exempt from taxes.

ex•emp•tion /ɪgˈzɛmpʃən/  n. [countable* uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ex•empt  (ig zempt′), v.t. 

1. to free from an obligation or liability to which others are subject;
   release:
   to exempt a student from an examination.

adj. 

2. released from, or not subject to, an obligation, liability, etc.:
   organizations exempt from taxes.

n. 

3. a person who is exempt from an obligation, duty, etc.
4. British Terms (in Britain) exon.

• Old French exempter, derivative of exempt
• Latin exemptus, past participle of eximere to take out, free, release, equivalent. to ex- ex-¹ + emptus (past participle of emere to buy, obtain); (verb, verbal) late Middle English exempten
• Old French
• (adjective, adjectival) Middle English 1325–75

ex•empt′i•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. except, excuse, relieve.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

exempt / ɪɡˈzɛmpt/ verb

1. (transitive) to release from an obligation, liability, tax, etc; excuse: to exempt a soldier from drill

adjective (sometimes postpositive)

1. freed from or not subject to an obligation, liability, tax, etc; excused: exempt gilts, tax-exempt bonus
2. set apart; remote

noun

1. a person who is exempt from an obligation, tax, etc

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin exemptus removed, from eximere to take out, from emere to buy, obtain

exˈemption noun