Export and Import Are Just Carrying Out and In
To export is to send goods abroad. The Latin root is to carry, and the prefix does all the work.
To export is to send goods or services to another country. The word is transparent once opened: *ex*, out, plus *portare*, to carry. *Import* is the same verb with *in*. That root sits inside *transport*, *portable*, *porter* and *portfolio*, which literally means a carrier of sheets.
- To send goods abroad. *Export the surplus.*
- A product sent abroad. *Oil exports.*
- To transfer data. *Export the file.*
- Import — the opposite. *Import restrictions.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | export | Export to Asia. |
| Noun | export | A major export. |
| Plural | exports | Rising exports. |
| Person | exporter | A leading exporter. |
| Opposite | import | Cheap imports. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Exports rose last quarter.Trade statistics.
- Export the data as a spreadsheet.Computing.
- EX-port is the noun, ex-PORT the verb.Stress shift.
Words from *portare*, to carry
- Export — to carry out
- Import — to carry in
- Transport — to carry across
- Portable — able to be carried
- Portfolio — a carrier of sheets
From Latin *exportare*, to carry out, from *ex* and *portare*, to carry — the same root as *port* in the sense of a gate.
Where is the stress?
EX-port for the noun, ex-PORT for the verb, following the usual English pattern.
Is a seaport related?
Yes, through Latin *portus*, a harbour, which is connected to the idea of a passage or gateway.