existential

== English == === Etymology === The adjective is a learned borrowing from Late Latin existentialis, exsistentialis (“coming into or relating to existence”) + English -al (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives; and forming nouns of verbal action). Existentialis, exsistentialis are derived from Late Latin existentia, exsistentia (“existence”) + Latin -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship); and existentia, exsistentia from Latin existēns, exsistēns (“being, existing; appearing, emerging; becoming”) (the present active participle of existō, exsistō (“to be, exist; to appear, emerge; to become”), from ex- (prefix meaning ‘away; out’) + sistō (“to cause to stand; to place, set; to halt, stop”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand (up)”))) + -ia (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns). The noun is derived from the adjective. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃl̩/ (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛn(t)ʃəl/, /ˌɛksɪ-/ Rhymes: -ɛnʃəl Hyphenation: ex‧is‧tent‧i‧al === Adjective === existential (comparative more existential, superlative most existential) (chiefly logic, philosophy) Of or relating to existence. Antonym: nonexistential Concerning the very existence of something, especially with regard to evading extinction. an existential risk or threat Of an assertion, etc.: assuming or suggesting the existence of something. Of or relating to existentialism (“a philosophical movement emphasizing the uniqueness of each human existence in freely making its self-defining choices”). Antonyms: nonmetaphysical, nonphenomenal, noumenal (linguistics) Relating to part of a clause that indicates existence (for example, there is). ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== aseity exist existence existent ==== Translations ==== === Noun === existential (plural existentials) (linguistics) Ellipsis of existential clause (“a clause that indicates the existence of something”). (programming) Ellipsis of existential type (“in a type system: a type that hides the underlying concrete type(s)”). Coordinate term: generic ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === existential clause on Wikipedia.Wikipedia existentialism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Raymond Williams (1983), “Existential”, in Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society, revised American edition, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, published 1985, →ISBN, page 123. Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “existential”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.