Etymology: Latin exsistere to come into being, exist, from ex- + sistere to stand, stop; akin to Latin stare to stand — more at stand
Date: circa 1568
1 a: to have real being whether material or spiritual <did unicorns exist><the largest galaxy known to exist>b: to have being in a specified place or with respect to understood limitations or conditions <strange ideas existed in his mind> 2: to continue to be <racism still exists in society> 3 a: to have life or the functions of vitality <we cannot exist without oxygen>b: to live at an inferior level or under adverse circumstances <the hungry existing from day to day>
