expel
/ɪkˈspel/·익스펠·verb
to drive or force out
LatinCEFR B2
Root
ex- (out) + Latin 'pellere' (to push, drive)
Latin expellere (drive out) → Middle French expeller → English expel
In a word
ex- (out) + pel (push) = 'push out'. The pel/puls family splits by direction of push — ex- (out) → expel, re- (back) → repel, com- (together) → compel, pro- (forward) → propel, im- (from within) → impulse. One root binds physical pushes and psychological urges into one family.
Examples
The school expelled three students for cheating.
Strong winds expelled the smoke quickly.
They were expelled from the country.
Related
repelcompelimpulsepropelexpulsion