existence
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to existence: Existence of aliens
ex·is·tence
(ĭg-zĭs′təns)n.
1. The fact or state of existing; being.
2. The fact or state of continued being; life: our brief existence on Earth.
3.
a. All that exists: sang the beauty of all existence.
b. A thing that exists; an entity.
4. A mode or manner of existing: scratched out a meager existence.
5. Specific presence; occurrence: The Geiger counter indicated the existence of radioactivity.
Synonyms: existence, actuality, being
These nouns denote the fact or state of existing: laws in existence for centuries; an idea progressing from possibility to actuality; a nation that came into being after much turmoil.
These nouns denote the fact or state of existing: laws in existence for centuries; an idea progressing from possibility to actuality; a nation that came into being after much turmoil.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
existence
(ɪɡˈzɪstəns)n
1. the fact or state of existing; being
2. the continuance or maintenance of life; living, esp in adverse circumstances: a struggle for existence; she has a wretched existence.
3. something that exists; a being or entity
4. everything that exists, esp that is living
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ex•ist•ence
(ɪgˈzɪs təns)n.
1. the state or fact of existing; being.
2. continuance in being or life; life: a struggle for existence.
3. mode of existing: They were working for a better existence.
4. all that exists.
5. something that exists; entity.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | existence - the state or fact of existing; "a point of view gradually coming into being"; "laws in existence for centuries" state - the way something is with respect to its main attributes; "the current state of knowledge"; "his state of health"; "in a weak financial state" actuality - the state of actually existing objectively; "a hope that progressed from possibility to actuality" timeless existence, timelessness, eternity - a state of eternal existence believed in some religions to characterize the afterlife preexistence - existing in a former state or previous to something else coexistence - existing peacefully together subsistence - the state of existing in reality; having substance presence - the state of being present; current existence; "he tested for the presence of radon" life - the course of existence of an individual; the actions and events that occur in living; "he hoped for a new life in Australia"; "he wanted to live his own life without interference from others" aliveness, animation, living, life - the condition of living or the state of being alive; "while there's life there's hope"; "life depends on many chemical and physical processes" life - a characteristic state or mode of living; "social life"; "city life"; "real life" transcendence, transcendency - a state of being or existence above and beyond the limits of material experience possibleness, possibility - capability of existing or happening or being true; "there is a possibility that his sense of smell has been impaired" nonentity, nonexistence - the state of not existing |
2. | existence - everything that exists anywhere; "they study the evolution of the universe"; "the biggest tree in existence" natural object - an object occurring naturally; not made by man extragalactic nebula, galaxy - (astronomy) a collection of star systems; any of the billions of systems each having many stars and nebulae and dust; "`extragalactic nebula' is a former name for `galaxy'" celestial body, heavenly body - natural objects visible in the sky closed universe - (cosmology) a universe that is spatially closed and in which there is sufficient matter to halt the expansion that began with the big bang; the visible matter is only 10 percent of the matter required for closure but there may be large amounts of dark matter estraterrestrial body, extraterrestrial object - a natural object existing outside the earth and outside the earth's atmosphere natural order - the physical universe considered as an orderly system subject to natural (not human or supernatural) laws nature - the natural physical world including plants and animals and landscapes etc.; "they tried to preserve nature as they found it" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
existence
noun
1. reality, being, life, survival, duration, endurance, continuation, subsistence, actuality, continuance Public worries about accidents are threatening the very existence of the nuclear power industry.
2. life, situation, way of life, life style the man who rescued her from her wretched existence
3. creation, life, the world, reality, the human condition, this mortal coil pondering the mysteries of existence
in existence surviving, remaining, functioning, operative, in force, existent, in operation, extant, undestroyed It is the only one of its kind that is in existence.
Quotations
"I think; therefore I am" [René Descartes Discourse on Method]
"Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve" [Erich Fromm Man For Himself]
"I think; therefore I am" [René Descartes Discourse on Method]
"Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve" [Erich Fromm Man For Himself]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
existence
noun2. The period during which someone or something exists:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
حَياة، بَقاءوُجود
existence
beståeneksistenslevevis
ekzistado
olemassaolo
egzistencijapostojanje
tilveratilvist, líf
existenciaplatnosť
obstoj
existens
var olmayaşam biçimi
existence
[ɪgˈzɪstəns] N → existencia f; (= way of life) → vida fto be in existence → existir
to come into existence → nacer
the only one in existence → el único existente
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
existence
n
→ Existenz f; (of custom, tradition, institution) → Bestehen nt, → Existenz f; to be in existence → existieren, bestehen; to come into existence → entstehen; (person) → auf die Welt kommen; to go out of existence → zu bestehen or existieren aufhören; do you believe in the existence of God? → glauben Sie daran, dass Gott existiert?, glauben Sie an die Existenz Gottes?; the continued existence of slavery → das Weiterbestehen or der Fortbestand der Sklaverei; the only one in existence → der Einzige, den es gibt
(= life) → Leben nt, → Dasein nt, → Existenz f; a miserable existence → ein elendes Leben, ein trostloses Dasein; means of existence → Lebensunterhalt m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
existence
[ɪgˈzɪst/əns] n → esistenzato be in existence → esistere
to come into existence → essere creato/a
the only one in existence → l'unico esistente
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
exist
(igˈzist) verb1. to be something real or actual. Do ghosts really exist?
2. to stay alive; to continue to live. It is possible to exist on bread and water.
exˈistence noun1. the state of existing. He does not believe in the existence of God; How long has this rule been in existence?
2. (a way of) life. an uneventful existence.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.