exsistentia

Forms

exsistentia f (genitive exsistentiae); first declension^[1] The spelling existentia is common.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is from Latin exsistēns + -ia,^[1] from the present participle of exsistō (“to come forth, appear; to exist”),^[2][5][6] which is from Latin ex- + sistō (“to cause to stand”).^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is a Late Latin word of philosophy, first found in Chalcidius' commentary on Plato's Timaeus, meaning being, existence.^[2][3][7]

Semantic evolution

Marius Victorinus used it in his writings against the Arians, also for a divine person.^[8] Augustine quotes it from Julian of Eclanum, and it became a word of Church writers.^[2][9]

Medieval philosophers used it for the state of existing, for real or true being as against mere possibility, and loosely for life or lasting.^[4] British writers also used it for a being or for substance.^[10] English existence (late 14th century) came through Old French from the medieval word.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 300 – Chalcidius uses it in his commentary on the Timaeus.^[2][7]
• first half of the 4th century – Marius Victorinus uses it against the Arians.^[8][7]
• late 14th century – English borrows it as existence.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. Existence, being.^[2][3][9][1]
2. (Late Latin) A divine person.^[8]
3. (Medieval Latin) A being, a living thing; substance.^[10]
4. (Medieval Latin) Life, duration; standing in life.^[4]

Related words

• exsistō
• ēns
• English existence

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
3. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
4. ^ a b c Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
9. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
10. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press