late 14c., exhortacioun, "incitement by means of argument, appeal, or admonition; the argument or appeal made," from Old French exhortacion and directly from Latin exhortationem (nominative exhortatio) "an exhortation, encouragement," noun of action from past-participle stem of exhortari "to exhort, encourage," from ex- "thoroughly" (see ex-) + hortari "encourage, urge" (from PIE root *gher- (2) "to like, want"). From early 15c. as "speech for the purpose of exhortation."