- pronunciation:
- ihg
zIst
- features:
- Word History, Word Parts
| part of speech: |
verb |
| inflections: |
exists, existing, existed |
| definition 1: |
When something exists, it means that it is a real thing in the world. Cows, people, trees, and airplanes exist.
Elaine doesn't believe that ghosts exist.My dad said that the park downtown didn't exist when he was growing up.- synonyms:
- be
- similar words:
- happen, obtain, occur
|
| definition 2: |
When people or animals exist in a place or environment, they are alive there. Fish exist in water and cannot live out of water.
Some kinds of animals once lived on the earth but do not exist anymore.- synonyms:
- live
- similar words:
- survive
|
| definition 3: |
When you exist on something, it means that you stay alive on it. If you exist on bread and water, it means that you stay alive by eating bread and water.
The stray dog existed on food scraps given by strangers until he was rescued.- synonyms:
- live, survive
- similar words:
- manage, persist
|
| derivation: |
existing (adj.) |
Exist comes from a Latin word that means "to stand forth" or "to emerge."