exception that proves the rule

English

It is derived from the medieval Latin legal principle: exceptio probat regulam in casibus non exceptis (the exception tests the rule in the cases not excepted).

Examples
"Entry is free on Sundays." - This implies that entry is not free on the other six days of the week. "Parking prohibited on Sundays." - This implies that parking is not prohibited on the other six days of the week.

A form of argument in which the existence of a counterexample to a rule is used to demonstrate the fact that a rule exists.
(idiomatic) The rare occurrence of a counterexample to a rule, used to underscore that the rule exists.

a form of argument

Norwegian:
Bokmål: unntaket som bekrefter regelen

Nynorsk: unntaket som bekreftar regelen
Portuguese: exceção que prova a regra f
Russian: исключе́ние, подтвержда́ющее пра́вило n (isključénije, podtverždájuščeje právilo)
Spanish: excepción que confirma la regla
Swedish: undantaget som bekräftar regeln

“The exception that proves the rule” in Gary Martin, The Phrase Finder, 1997–, retrieved 26 February 2017.
“Exception that proves the rule” in Michael Quinion, World Wide Words, 14 September 2002.
The Straight Dope

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