Origin: Latin suffix -ure
Exposure has 11 different meanings across 1 category:
vulnerability to the elements; to the action of heat or cold or wind or rain
"exposure to the weather"
"they died from exposure"
the act of subjecting someone to an influencing experience
"she denounced the exposure of children to pornography"
aspect resulting from the direction a building or window faces
"the studio had a northern exposure"
the state of being vulnerable or exposed
"his vulnerability to litigation"
"his exposure to ridicule"
the intensity of light falling on a photographic film or plate
"he used the wrong exposure"
a representation of a person or scene in the form of a print or transparent slide or in digital format
"The photographer carefully selected her best exposure from the roll to frame on the gallery wall."
the act of exposing film to light
"The photographer accidentally left the roll of film in the sun, causing a ruined batch due to improper exposure before development."
abandoning without shelter or protection (as by leaving an infant out in the open)
"The baby fell through the bars and suffered severe exposure to the freezing wind before anyone could find him."
The condition of being exposed, uncovered, or unprotected.
"The old tree branch snapped in the wind, leaving a large hole that created a dangerous exposure in our roof's framework."
In plain English: Exposure is when something harmful gets into your body or when you are seen by others without wanting to be.
"The camera's exposure was perfect, capturing the bright sunlight without any harsh shadows."
Usage: Use exposure to describe a situation where someone or something lacks protection from harm, such as financial risk or emotional vulnerability. Avoid using it to mean physical uncovering when you simply intend to say that clothes are off or a surface is bare.
The word exposure comes from combining the verb expose with the suffix -ure to indicate a state or condition. It entered English as a noun form describing the act of exposing something to view or influence.