except¹

[ik-sept] /ɪkˈsɛpt/

preposition

with the exclusion of; excluding; save; but:

They were all there except me.

conjunction

only; with the exception (usually followed by that):

parallel cases except that one is younger than the other.

otherwise than; but (followed by an adv., phrase, or clause):

well fortified except here.

Archaic. unless.

Idioms

except for, if it were not for:

She would travel more except for lack of money.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English: orig., past participle adj. < 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)

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.

British Dictionary definitions for except for

except

/ɪkˈsɛpt/

preposition

Also except for. other than; apart from; with the exception of: he likes everyone except you, except for this mistake, you did very well

(conjunction) except that, but for the fact that; were it not true that

conjunction

an archaic word for unless

(informal) except that; but for the fact that: I would have arrived earlier, except I lost my way

verb

(transitive) to leave out; omit; exclude

(rare) (intransitive) often foll by to. to take exception; object

Word Origin

C14: from Old French excepter to leave out, from Latin exceptāre, from excipere to take out, from capere to take

Word Origin and History for except for

except

late 14c., "to receive," from Middle French excepter (12c.), from Latin exceptus, past participle of excipere "take out," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + capere "to take" (see capable). Meaning "to leave out" is from 1510s. Related: Excepted; excepting. Adjectival function led to use as a preposition, conjunction (late 14c.).

Idioms and Phrases with except for

except for

Also, with the exception of. Other than, were it not for. For example, Except for Jack, everyone came to the party, or With the exception of the weather, everything went extremely well. [ c. 1600 ]