Definitions for existence
ɪgˈzɪs tənsex·is·tence

Princeton's WordNet(2.00 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. being, beingness, existencenoun

   the state or fact of existing

   "a point of view gradually coming into being"; "laws in existence for centuries"

2. universe, existence, creation, world, cosmos, macrocosmnoun

   everything that exists anywhere

   "they study the evolution of the universe"; "the biggest tree in existence"

Wiktionary(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. existencenoun

   The state of being, existing, or occurring; beinghood.

   Most people doubt the existence of the Loch Ness monster.

2. existencenoun

   empirical reality; the substance of the physical universe Dictionary of Philosophy; 1968

3. Etymology: From existence, from existentia.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Existence, Existencynoun

   State of being; actual possession of being.

   Etymology: existentia, low Latin.

   Nor is only the existency of this animal considerable, but many things delivered thereof. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours, b. iii.

   It is impossible any being can be eternal with successive eternal physical changes, or variety of states or manner of existency, naturally and necessarily concomitant unto it. Matthew Hale.

   The soul, secur’d in her existence, smiles
   At the drawn dagger, and defies its point. Joseph Addison, Cato.

   When a being is considered as possible, it is said to have an essence or nature: such were all things before the creation. When it is considered as actual, then it is said to have existence also. Isaac Watts, Logick.

Webster Dictionary(3.80 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Existencenoun

   the state of existing or being; actual possession of being; continuance in being; as, the existence of body and of soul in union; the separate existence of the soul; immortal existence

2. Existencenoun

   continued or repeated manifestation; occurrence, as of events of any kind; as, the existence of a calamity or of a state of war

3. Existencenoun

   that which exists; a being; a creature; an entity; as, living existences

4. Etymology: [Cf. F. existence.]

Freebase(5.00 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Existence

   Existence has been variously defined by sources. In common usage, it is the world one is aware or conscious of through one's senses, and that persists independently in one's absence. Other definitions describe it as everything that 'is', or more simply, everything. Some define it to be everything that most people believe in. Aristotle relates the concept to causality. Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality in general, as well as of the basic categories of being and their relations. Traditionally listed as a part of the major branch of philosophy known as metaphysics, ontology deals with questions concerning what entities exist or can be said to exist, and how such entities can be grouped, related within a hierarchy, and subdivided according to similarities and differences. A lively debate continues about the existence of God. Epistemology studies criteria of truth, defining "primary truths" inherently accepted in the investigation of knowledge. The first is existence. It is inherent in every analysis. Its self-evident, a priori nature cannot be consistently doubted, since a person objecting to existence according to some standard of proof must implicitly accept the standard's existence as a premise.

The Roycroft Dictionary(1.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. existence

   1. A metaphysical term which originally meant joy, but which since the beginning of the Christian era has come to mean pain. 2. To be (used only in the phrase "to be damned"). 3. Merely to live, without eating or drinking. (In London, Paris and New York, this phenomenon is quite common.)

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. existence

   To exist.

   Existence is the reality of to exist.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on January 18, 2020  

Matched Categories

1. • Natural Object

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'existence' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1534

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'existence' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4203

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'existence' in Nouns Frequency: #713

How to pronounce existence?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say existence in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of existence in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of existence in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of existence in a Sentence

1. Redur Xelil:

   We are committed to protecting these borders because that way we are protecting our existence, we should be supported with weapons and equipment because the YPG has shown its effectiveness in expelling Daesh more than any other force.

2. Jean Trebek:

   I have learned something in the past year and it's this : We don't know when we're going to die, because of the cancer diagnosis, it's no longer an open-ended life, it's a closed-ended life because of the terrible survival rates of pancreatic cancer. Because of that, and something else that is operating here, people all over America and abroad have decided they want to let me know now, while I'm alive, about the impact that I've been having on their existence.

3. Sheldon Whitehouse:

   I want to respond to the presentation by one of the Republican senators suggesting that the continued existence of snow disproves climate change.

4. Georges Bataille:

   To place oneself in the position of God is painful: being God is equivalent to being tortured. For being God means that one is in harmony with all that is, including the worst. The existence of the worst evils is unimaginable unless God willed them.

5. Prem Rawat:

   It’s easy to be a believer. You can believe anything you want. Knowing is a little bit more specific. You cannot know anything. You can only know that which is. What is? This beautiful breath, this beautiful existence.

Popularity rank by frequency of use