Example
late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin exemplum, from eximere ‘take out’, from ex- ‘out’ + emere ‘take’. Compare with sample.
wiktionary
From Middle English exaumple, example, from Old French essample (French exemple), from Latin exemplum(“a sample, pattern, specimen, copy for imitation, etc.”, literally “what is taken out (as a sample)”), from eximō(“take out”), from ex(“out”) + emō(“buy; acquire”); see exempt. Displaced native Middle English bisne, forbus, forbusen from Old English bȳsen, and Middle English byspel from Old English bīspell. Doublet of exemplum and sample.
etymonline
example (n.)
late 14c., "an instance typical of a class; a model, either good or bad, action or conduct as an object of imitation; an example to be avoided; punishment as a warning," partial re-Latinization of earlier essample, asaumple (mid-13c.), from Old French essemple "sample, model, example, precedent, cautionary tale," from Latin exemplum "a sample, specimen; image, portrait; pattern, model, precedent; a warning example, one that serves as a warning," literally "that which is taken out," from eximere "remove, take out, take away; free, release, deliver, make an exception of," from ex "out" (see ex-) + emere "buy," originally "take," from PIE root *em- "to take, distribute."
