existence

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*stísteh₂ti
2. Late Latin · derived fromexistentia“existence”
3. Old French · derived fromexistence
4. Middle English · inherited fromexistence
5. English todayexistence

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. Displaced native Old English understandennes (literally, "understanden-ness"). Morphologically exist + -ence.

Words from the same roots