Exemplar

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɛɡˈzɛm.plə/

Definitions

1. A person or thing regarded as being a perfect or outstanding example worthy of imitation or emulation
2. A model or specimen that serves as an ideal representation or standard of excellence and can inspire others in quality or behavior
3. An outstanding example that illustrates a particular quality or value, often used as a benchmark for others to aspire to

Etymology: The Latin "exemplar" originally meant a copy or model to be copied, and the noun was formed from "exemplum" ("example"), itself built from "eximere", "to take out". The idea was of something taken out of a larger whole to show what the rest is like, which is why an example is a sample, a pattern and a model all at once. English took the word through Middle French, where it appeared as "exemplaire", and it arrived in Middle English as "exempler". Its sense of a copy-to-be-imitated still lingers in the bibliographic use of a single copy of a printed book, which is simply the same idea of a model in another setting. Another English descendant, "exemplary", came through the same Latin source but took a different route. Both words trace back to the same root, so "exemplar" and "exemplary" are doublets, two forms of one word that entered English at different times and took on different shapes.

Synonyms: model, paragon, example, ideal, prototype

Antonyms: bad example, anti-example, failure, counterexample