Plural of exemplum; illustrative examples, stories, or anecdotes used to teach a moral lesson or demonstrate a principle, especially in medieval religious literature.
Latin plural of 'exemplum' meaning 'example' or 'sample,' derived from 'eximere' meaning 'to take out.' Medieval preachers collected 'exempla' as teaching stories in collections called exemplaria.
Medieval preachers used exempla—vivid stories about saints, sinners, and miracles—as the original 'teaching case studies,' and some scholars think they're the ancestors of the short story itself.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.