presence (n.)

mid-14c., "fact of being present, state of being in a certain place and not some other," also "space before or around someone or something," from Old French presence (12c., Modern French présence), from Latin praesentia "a being present," from praesentem (see present (adj.)).

From late 14c. as "state of being face to face with a superior or great personage." The meaning "carriage, demeanor, aspect" (especially if impressive) is from 1570s; that of "divine, spiritual, or incorporeal being felt as present" is from 1660s. Presence of mind (1660s) "calm, collected state of mind, with the faculties ready at command," is a loan-translation of French présence d'esprit, Latin praesentia animi.

also from mid-14c.

Entries linking to presence

present (adj.)

c. 1300, "being in the same place as someone or something;" early 14c., "existing at the time," from Old French present "evident, at hand, within reach;" as a noun, "the present time" (11c., Modern French présent) and directly from Latin praesentem (nominative praesens) "present, at hand, in sight; immediate; prompt, instant; contemporary," from present participle of præesse "be before (someone or something), be at hand," from prae- "before" (see pre-) + esse "to be" (from PIE root *es- "to be").

Meaning "abiding in a specified place" is from mid-14c. in English. As a grammatical tense expressing action or being in the present time, recorded from late 14c.

co-presence (n.)

also copresence, "act or fact of being present with (another)," 1802, from co- + presence. Related: Copresent.

Trends of presence

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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absence

"state of not being present," late 14c., from Old French absence "absence" (14c.), from Latin absentia, abstract noun from absentem (nominative absens), present participle of abesse "be away from, be absent," from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + esse "to be" (from PIE root *es- "

absence

front

late 13c., "forehead," from Old French front "forehead, brow" (12c.), from Latin frontem (nominative frons) "forehead, brow, front; countenance, expression (especially as an indicator of truthfulness or shame); facade of a building, forepart; external appearance; vanguard, front

manifestation

Meaning "an object, action, or presence by which something is made manifest" is from 1785....The spiritualism sense of "phenomena by which the presence of a spirit or ghost is supposed to be rendered perceptible" is...

quorum

early 15c., in law, "the senior justices of the peace," whose presence was necessary to constitute a court, from Latin quorum...Meaning "fixed number of members of any constituted body whose presence at a particular meeting is necessary to transact...

subpoena

etc.," early 15c., sub pena, from Medieval Latin sub poena "under penalty," the first words of the writ commanding the presence...

impanate

The Adessenarians (1751, from Latin adesse "be present," from ad- "to" + esse "be") believed in the real presence of Christ's...

opinion

early 14c., opinioun, "a judgment formed or a conclusion reached, especially one based on evidence that does not produce knowledge or certainty," from Old French opinion "opinion, view, judgements founded upon probabilities" (12c.), from Latin opinionem (nominative opinio) "opini

impression

late 14c., "mark produced by pressure," also "image produced in the mind or emotions by something external," from Old French impression "print, stamp; a pressing on the mind" (13c.), from Latin impressionem (nominative impressio) "a pressing into, onset, attack," figuratively "a

belief

late 12c., bileave, "confidence reposed in a person or thing; faith in a religion," replacing Old English geleafa "belief, faith," from West Germanic *ga-laubon "to hold dear, esteem, trust" (source also of Old Saxon gilobo, Middle Dutch gelove, Old High German giloubo, German Gl

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updated on October 23, 2020

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Dictionary entries near presence

prescription

prescriptive

prescriptivism

preselect

preselection

presence

present

presentable

presentation

present-day

presenter