Exponent

[ik-spoh-nuh nt, ek-spoh-nuh nt] /ɪkˈspoʊ nənt, ˈɛk spoʊ nənt/

noun
1.
a person or thing that , explains, or interprets:
an exponent of modern theory in the arts.
2.
a person or thing that is a representative, advocate, type, or symbol of something:
Lincoln is an exponent of American democracy.
3.
Mathematics. a symbol or number placed above and after another symbol or number to denote the power to which the latter is to be raised:
The exponents of the quantities xn, 2m, y 4 , and 3 5 are, respectively, n, m, 4, and 5.
/ɪkˈspəʊnənt/
noun
1.
(usually foll by of) a person or thing that acts as an advocate (of an idea, cause, etc)
2.
a person or thing that explains or interprets
3.
a performer or interpretive artist, esp a musician
4.
(maths) Also called power, index. a number or variable placed as a superscript to the right of another number or quantity indicating the number of times the number or quantity is to be multiplied by itself
adjective
5.
offering a declaration, explanation, or interpretation
n.

1706, from Latin exponentem (nominative exponens), present participle of exponere “put forth” (see expound). A mathematical term at first; the sense of “one who expounds” is 1812. As an adjective, from 1580s.
exponent
(ěk’spō’nənt, ĭk-spō’nənt)
A number or symbol, placed above and to the right of the expression to which it applies, that indicates the number of times the expression is used as a factor. For example, the exponent 3 in 53 indicates 5 × 5 × 5; the exponent x in (a + b)x indicates (a + b) multiplied by itself x times.

A number placed above and to the right of another number to show that it has been raised to a power. For example, 32 indicates that 3 has been raised to a power of 2, or multiplied by itself; 32 is equal to 9.

programming
(Or “characteristic”) The part of a floating-point number specifying the power of ten by which the mantissa should be multiplied. In the common notation, e.g. 3.1E8, the exponent is 8.
(1995-02-27)