exponent: Meaning and Definition of

ex•po•nent

1. a person or thing that expounds, 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. a symbol or number placed above and after another symbol or number to denote the power to which the latter is to be raised:x, 2, y, and 3 are, respectively, n, m, 4, and 5. The exponents of the quantities