Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » exist

exist

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

To exist is defined as to be real, have life or be present.

(verb)

An example of to exist is polar bears living in the Arctic Circle.

See exist in Webster's New World College Dictionary

intransitive verb

to have reality or actual being; be
to occur or be present: the qualities that exist in a person
to continue being; live: the refugees barely exist

Origin: Fr exister < L existere, exsistere, to come forth, stand forth < ex-, out + sistere, to cause to stand, set, place, caus. of stare, stand

See exist in American Heritage Dictionary 4

intransitive verb ex·ist·ed, ex·ist·ing, ex·ists

To have actual being; be real.
To have life; live: one of the worst actors that ever existed.
To live at a minimal level; subsist: barely enough income on which to exist.
To continue to be; persist: old customs that still exist in rural areas.
To be present under certain circumstances or in a specified place; occur: “Wealth and poverty exist in every demographic category” (Thomas G. Exter).

Origin:

Origin: Latin existere, exsistere, to come forth, be manifest

Origin: : ex-, ex-

Origin: + sistere, to stand; see stā- in Indo-European roots

Learn more about exist

exist synonyms

exist in a sentence

exist quotes

link/cite print suggestion box