ENGLISH
REFERENCE

exclusive

adj. · n.
US //ɪkˈskɫusɪv// UK //ɛksklˈuːsɪv// ex·clu·sive
  1. 1 limited to a few (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    limited to a specific group of people and not available to everyone.

    restricting access to a specific group, often based on wealth, status, or membership criteria.

    Example

    The hotel has an exclusive beach that only guests are allowed to use.

    Example

    The club maintains an exclusive membership policy, requiring recommendations from at least three current members before an application is even considered.
  2. 2 expensive or high-class (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    expensive, high-quality, and often used by famous or wealthy people.

    denoting high social status, luxury, or superior quality intended for an elite clientele.

    Example

    She shops at exclusive boutiques in the center of Paris.

    Example

    The developer transformed the historic warehouse into a series of exclusive penthouses catering to the city's wealthiest investors.
Show 3 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 not including others (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    not shared with anyone else, such as a romantic relationship or a right.

    not shared or divided; sole or undivided in possession or relationship.

    Example

    After dating for six months, they decided to be exclusive.

    Example

    The company holds the exclusive rights to distribute the software throughout the European market for the next five years.
  2. 4 we (not you) (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    used to describe the word 'we' when it does not include the person you are talking to.

    referring to the first-person plural pronoun when it excludes the addressee.

    Example

    In some languages, there is a special 'exclusive we' that leaves out the listener.

    Example

    The researcher noted that the dialect employs an exclusive first-person plural, clearly separating the speaker's kin group from the interviewer.

    Usage

    Used in linguistics to distinguish between 'we' (me and them) and 'we' (me and you).
  3. 5 a news scoop (n.)
    C1 Advanced General-service

    a story or interview published by only one newspaper or television station.

    an item of news or a feature published or broadcast by only one source.

    Example

    The magazine managed to get an exclusive with the famous actor.

    Example

    The newspaper's political correspondent secured an exclusive on the cabinet reshuffle, beating all the major networks to the story.
Origin

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

Word family

© 2026 English Reference