WordWeb Online

1. A deliberate act of omission
   "with the exception of the children, everyone was told the news"
   - exclusion, elision
    
2. An instance that does not conform to a rule or generalization
   "all her children were brilliant; the only exception was her last child"; "an exception tests the rule"
    
3. Grounds for adverse criticism
   "his authority is beyond exception"

Derived forms: exceptions

See also: except, exceptional

Type of: example, illustration, instance, objection, omission, representative

Encyclopedia: Exception