# export

/ˈɛkspɔɹt/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/export
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. goods sold abroad

noun · CEFR B1 · General-service

a product that is sold and sent to another country.

For teachers: a commodity, article, or service sold abroad. Countable in the sense of specific products; uncountable when referring to the trade sector.

- Coffee is the main export for many countries in South America.
- The government is introducing new subsidies to help small businesses turn their local crafts into a viable national export.

### 2. to sell to another country

verb · CEFR B1 · General-service

to sell and send goods to another country.

For teachers: to send goods or services to another country for sale. Transitive; typically takes a direct object representing the commodity.

- The factory exports most of its electronics to Europe and North America.
- By modernising its infrastructure, the nation hopes to export significantly higher volumes of natural gas to its neighbours over the next decade.

### 3. to spread an idea

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to spread an idea, culture, or system to other parts of the world.

For teachers: to cause an idea, cultural practice, or social system to be adopted in another country or region.

- The country has exported its popular music and films all over the globe.
- Sociologists argue whether the revolution successfully exported its democratic ideals to the surrounding territories or remained a local phenomenon.

### 4. to move digital data

verb · CEFR B1 · Technical

to save data in a format that another computer program can use.

For teachers: to transfer data from one application to another, often involving a change in file format.

- You can export your contact list as a spreadsheet file.
- The software allows users to export their architectural designs directly into a format compatible with 3D printing hardware.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'to' or 'as'.

## Examples

- Coffee is a major export for many tropical countries.
- The company increased its annual revenue by focusing on the export of high-quality electronics to European markets.
- While the nation's primary export remains crude oil, recent economic reforms aim to diversify the portfolio by incentivizing the growth of the manufacturing and technology sectors.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.