noun
exodus
EK-suh-dus/ˈeksədəs/
A departure of many people from a place.
Rising rents cause an exodus of families from the city.
Etymology
“Out” and “way” combine to mean “a going out.” The biblical account of the Israelites leaving Egypt gave the word its familiar association with the departure of a large group.
In context
erica douglas was an early part of the exodus she moved her seo software company whoosh traffic and her employees to austin six years ago
More examples
- The factory closure triggered an exodus of workers from town.
- We leave the stadium early to avoid the exodus.
- The region has experienced several exoduses during periods of drought.
Forms
exodus · exoduses
Similar words
- departure
- Can involve one person rather than a large group.
- evacuation
- Emphasizes leaving a place for safety, often under official direction.
- migration
- Emphasizes movement between regions, often for settlement or seasonal work.