exception that proves the rule

English

Etymology

Derived from the medieval (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin legal principle "exceptio probat regulam in casibus non exceptis" ("the exception tests the rule in the cases not excepted"). Template:examples-right

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

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Noun

exception that proves the rule (plural exceptions that prove the rule or exceptions that prove rules)

1. The rare occurrence of a counterexample to a rule, used to demonstrate that the rule exists.

Related terms

• exception proves the rule
• the exception proves the rule

Translations

occurrence of counterexample

• Czech: výjimka potvrzující pravidlo f, výjimka potvrzuje pravidlo (cs)
• Danish: undtagelsen bekræfter regelen
• Dutch: uitzondering die de regel bevestigt
• French: l’exception confirme la regle
• German: Ausnahmen bestätigen die Regel (de), Ausnahmen bekräftigen die Regel
• Hungarian: a kivétel erősíti a szabályt (hu)
• Icelandic: undantekningin sannar regluna
• Italian: eccezione che conferma la regola f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: exceptio probat rēgulam
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: unntaket som bekrefter regelen

  Nynorsk: unntaket som bekreftar regelen

• Portuguese: exceção que prova a regra f
• Russian: исключе́ние, подтвержда́ющее пра́вило n (isključénije, podtverždájuščeje právilo)
• Spanish: excepción que confirma la regla
• Swedish: undantaget som bekräftar regeln

See also

• the proof of the pudding is in the eating

References

• Gary Martin (1997–) “The exception that proves the rule”, in The Phrase Finder, retrieved 26 February 2017.
• Michael Quinion (September 14, 2002) “Exception that proves the rule”, in World Wide Words.
• The Straight Dope

Anagrams

• exceptions that prove the rule