exposition

Etymology

From Middle English exposicioun, from Old French esposicion, from Latin expositiō, from expōnere (“to put forth”). The sense meaning "exhibition" is a later semantic loan from French exposition.

noun

1. The action of exposing something to something, such as skin to the sunlight.
2. (authorship) The act or process of declaring or describing something through either speech or writing; the portions and aspects of a piece of writing that exist mainly to describe the setting, characters and other non-plot elements.
   This essay has too much exposition in it.
   My reviewer said she couldn't picture the setting for my story, so I'm improving the exposition.
3. (obsolete) The act of expulsion, or being expelled, from a place.
4. An exhibition, especially of goods, artwork or cultural displays to the public.
   The first prototype was unveiled at an exposition.
5. (authorship) An essay or speech in which any topic is discussed in detail.
   I turned my research into an exposition on the traditional music of Borneo.
6. (authorship) An opening section in fiction, in which background information about the characters, events or setting is conveyed.
7. (music) The opening section of a movement in sonata form; the opening section of a fugue.
8. The abandonment of an unwanted child.