existence

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

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

   In order to destroy evil, we must first acknowledge its existence.

2. 2
   noun

   everything that exists anywhere

3. 3
   noun

   the state or fact of existing

4. 4
   noun

   Empirical reality; the substance of the physical universe. (Dictionary of Philosophy; 1968)

Etymology

From Middle English existence, from Old French existence, from Late Latin existentia (“existence”), from existēns, from existō, exsistō (“I am, I exist”), 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”). Cognate with Spanish existencia, French existence, German Existenz. Morphologically exist + -ence.