except
UK: ɪkˈsɛpt | US: ɪkˈsɛpt
prep. excluding; not including
vt. to exclude or leave out
conj. used to introduce a statement that is not included in a previous statement
The word "except" originates from Latin excipere ("to take out"), composed of ex- (out) and capere (to take). It entered Middle English via Old French excepter, retaining the core idea of exclusion. The morpheme cept evolved from capere, appearing in related words like "accept" (take in) and "intercept" (take between). The prefix ex- consistently conveys "outward" action, reinforcing the word's exclusionary meaning.
Everyone attended the meeting except John.
The policy applies to all employees except interns.
She answered all questions except the last one.
The museum is open daily except Mondays.
I would go, except I have a prior commitment.