exclusive

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   not divided or shared with others

   they have exclusive use of the machine

2. 2
   adj

   A snobbish usage, suggesting that members who do not meet requirements, which may be financial, of social status, religion, skin colour etc., are excluded.

   Exclusive clubs tend to serve exclusive brands of food and drinks, in the same exorbitant price range, such as the 'finest' French châteaux.

3. 3
   adj

   Whole, undivided, entire.

   The teacher's pet commands the teacher's exclusive attention.

4. 4
   adj

   Of or relating to the first-person plural pronoun when excluding the person being addressed.

   The pronoun in "We're going to a party later, but you aren't invited" is an exclusive "we".

5. 5
   adj

   Having a romantic or sexual relationship with one another, to the exclusion of others.

   They decided to no longer be exclusive.

6. 6
   noun

   Information (or an artefact) that is granted or obtained exclusively.

   The editor agreed to keep a lid on a potentially disastrous political scoop in exchange for an exclusive of a happier nature.

7. 7
   noun

   A member of a group who excludes others from their society.

   The exclusives at the English Universities apply the term CAD to all non-members.

8. 8
   adj

   not divided among or brought to bear on more than one object or objective

Etymology

From Latin exclūsīvus, from excludere (“to shut out, exclude”), from ex- (“out”) + variant form of verb claudere (“to close, shut”).