exist

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   support oneself

   I could barely exist on such a low wage.

2. 2
   verb

   to be; have existence; have being or reality

   Cognitive dissonance exists when a person possesses two cognitions, one of which is contradictory to the other

3. 3
   verb

   have an existence, be extant

Etymology

From French exister, from Latin existō, exsistō (“I am, I exist, appear, arise”), from ex (“out”) + sistere (“to set, place”) (related to stare (“to stand, to be stood”)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *stísteh₂ti, from the root *steh₂- (“stand”); see stand. Compare assist, consist, desist, insist, persist, resist. Cognate with Spanish existir, French exister, Italian esistere, German existieren.