Online Etymology Dictionary

existence: late 14c., from O.Fr. existence, from L.L. existentem "existent," prp. of L. existere "stand forth, appear," and, as a secondary meaning, "exist;" from ex- "forth" + sistere "cause to stand" (see assist).
existential: 1690s, "pertaining to existence," from L.L. existentialis, from existentia (see existence). As a term in logic, from 1819; in philosophy, from 1937, tracing back to the Dan. work of Kierkegaard (see existentialism).
originate (v.): 1653, probably a back-formation of origination (1647), from M.Fr. origination, from L. originationem (nom. originatio), from originem (see original). In first ref. it meant "to trace the origin of;" meaning "to bring into existence" is from 1657; intrans. sense of "to come into existence" is from 1775.
raison d'être: 1864, first recorded in letter of J.S. Mill, from Fr., lit. "rational grounds for existence."
schadenfreude: "malicious joy in the misfortunes of others," 1922, from Ger., lit. "damage-joy," from schaden "damage, harm, injury" (see scathe) + freude, from O.H.G. frewida "joy," from fro "happy," lit. "hopping for joy," from P.Gmc. *frawa- (see frolic).
"What a fearful thing is it that any language should have a word expressive of the pleasure which men feel at the calamities of others; for the existence of the word bears testimony to the existence of the thing. And yet in more than one such a word is found. ... In the Greek epikhairekakia, in the German, 'Schadenfreude.' " [Richard C. Trench, "On the Study of Words," 1852]
endurance: late 15c., "continued existence in time," from endure + -ance. Meaning "ability to endure suffering, etc." is from 1660s.
exist: c.1600, from Fr. exister, from L. exsistere (see existence). "The late appearance of the word is remarkable" [OED].
reality: 1550, originally a legal term in the sense of "fixed property," from M.L. realitatem (nom. realitas), from L.L. realis; meaning "real existence" is from 1647.
incubus: c.1200, from L.L. (Augustine), from L. incubo "nightmare, one who lies down on (the sleeper)," from incubare "to lie upon" (see incubate). Plural is incubi. In the Middle Ages, their existence was recognized by law.
sovereignty: mid-14c., "pre-eminence," from Anglo-Fr. sovereynete, from O.Fr. souverainete, from soverain (see sovereign). Meaning "authority, rule" is recorded from late 14c.; sense of "existence as an independent state" is from 1715.
existentialism: 1941, from Ger. Existentialismus (1919), ultimately from Dan. writer Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), who wrote (1846) of Existents-Forhold "condition of existence," existentielle Pathos, etc. (see existential), and whose name means, literally, "churchyard."
realize: 1611, "bring into existence," from Fr. réaliser "make real," from M.Fr. real "actual," from O.Fr. (see real (adj.)). Sense of "understand clearly" is first recorded 1775.
being (n.): "existence," early 14c., from be (q.v.) + -ing. Sense in human being is from 1751.
substantial: mid-14c., "ample, sizeable," from O.Fr. substantiel (13c.), from L. substantialis "having substance or reality, material," from substantia (see substance). Meaning "existing, having real existence" is from late 14c.
slender: c.1300, probably from a Fr. source, often said to be from O.Fr. esclendre "thin, slender," which could be from O.Du. slinder, but the connections, and even the existence of these words, is doubtful. Slenderize "get slender" is from 1923.
Sadducee: O.E., from L.L. Sadducaei (pl.), from Gk. Zaddoukaios, from Heb. tzedoqi, from personal name Tzadhoq "Zadok" (2 Sam. viii:17), the high priest from whom the priesthood of the captivity claimed descent. According to Josephus, the sect denied the resurrection of the dead and the existence of angels and spirits; but later historians regard them as more the political party of the priestly class than a sect per se.
attention deficit disorder: (abbreviated ADD) became a diagnosis in the third edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (1980); expanded to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ("the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone;" ADHD) in DSM-III (1987).
extant: 1545, "standing out above a surface," from L. extantem, prp. of extare "stand out, be visible, exist," from ex- "out" + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Sense of "in existence" appeared in Eng. 1561.
nothing: O.E. naþing, from nan "not one" (see none) + þing "thing." Nothingness "non-existence" first recorded c.1631.
evocation: 1570s, from L. evocationem (nom. evocatio), from evocare "call out, rouse, summon," from ex- "out" + vocare "to call" (see voice). Evocation was used of the Roman custom of petitioning the gods of an enemy city to abandon it and come to Rome; it was also used to translate the Platonic Greek anamnesis "a calling up of knowledge acquired in a previous state of existence."
amphibian: 1630s, "having two modes of existence, of doubtful nature," from Gk. amphibia, neut. pl. of amphibios, from amphi- "of both kinds" + bios "life" (see bio-). Formerly used by zoologists to describe all sorts of combined natures (including otters and seals), the biological sense "class of animals between fishes and reptiles that live both on land and in water" and the noun derivative both are first recorded 1835. Amphibia was used in this sense from c.1600 and has been a zoological classification since c.1819.
perfect (adj.): early 13c., from O.Fr. parfit (11c.), from L. perfectus "completed," pp. of perficere "accomplish, finish, complete," from per- "completely" + facere "to perform" (see factitious). Often used in Eng. as an intensive (perfect stranger, etc.). The verb meaning "to bring to full development" is recorded from late 14c. Perfectionist is 1650s, originally theological, "one who believes moral perfection may be attained in earthly existence;" sense of "one only satisfied with the highest standards" is from 1934.
subsistence: 1432, "existence, independence," from L.L. subsistentia "substance, reality," from L. subsistens, prp. of subsistere "stand still or firm," from sub "under, up to" + sistere "to assume a standing position," from stare "to stand" (see assist). Properly a loan-translation of Gk. hypostasis "subsistence," lit. "anything placed under." Meaning "provision of support for animal life" is from 1645. Subsist (v.) is attested from 1549.
atheist: 1570s, from Fr. athéiste (16c.), from Gk. atheos "to deny the gods, godless," from a- "without" + theos "a god" (see Thea). A slightly earlier form is represented by atheonism (1530s) which is perhaps from It. atheo "atheist."
"The existence of a world without God seems to me less absurd than the presence of a God, existing in all his perfection, creating an imperfect man in order to make him run the risk of Hell." [Armand Salacrou, "Certitudes et incertitudes," 1943]
Related: Atheistic (1630s).
thug: 1810, "member of a gang of murderers and robbers in India who strangled their victims," from Marathi thag, thak "cheat, swindler," Hindi thag, perhaps from Skt. sthaga-s "cunning, fraudulent," possibly from sthagayati "(he) covers, conceals," from PIE base *(s)teg- "cover" (see stegosaurus). Transferred sense of "ruffian, cutthroat" first recorded 1839. The more correct Indian name is phanseegur, and the activity was described in Eng. as far back as c.1665. Rigorously prosecuted by the British from 1831, they were driven from existence, but the process extended over the rest of the 19c.
eke: c.1200, north England and E. Midlands var. of echen from O.E. ecan, eacan, eacian "addition, reinforcement," probably from eaca "an increase," from P.Gmc. *aukan (cf. O.N. auka, O.Fris. aka, Goth. aukan), from PIE *aug- "to increase" (see augment). Now mainly in phrase to eke out (1596). It means "to make something go further or last longer;" you can eke out your income by taking a second job, but you can't eke out your miserable existence. Obsolete eke "also" (O.E. eac, Ger. auch) is probably related.
connotation: 1530s, from M.L. connotationem, from connotare "signify in addition to the main meaning," a term in logic, from L. com- "together" + notare "to mark" (see note). A word denotes its primary meaning, its barest adequate definition -- father denotes "one that has begotten." A word connotes the attributes commonly associated with it -- father connotes "male sex, prior existence, greater experience, affection, guidance."
perpetrate: c.1450 (implied in perpetration), from L. perpetratus, pp. of perpetrare "to perform, to accomplish," from per- "completely" + patrare "carry out," originally "bring into existence," from pater "father" (see father). Neither good nor bad in L., first used in Eng. in statutes, hence its sense of "to perform criminally." Perpetrator is 1570, from L.L. perpetrator, from L. perpetrare. Police slang shortening perp (e.g. perp walk) is Amer.Eng., by 1940s.
personality: c.1380, "quality or fact of being a person," from M.L. personalitatem (nom. personalitas), from L. personalis (see personal). Sense of "a distinctive character" is first recorded 1795, from Fr. personnalité.
"Personality is the supreme realization of the innate idiosyncrasy of a living being. It is an act of courage flung in the face of life, the absolute affirmation of all that constitutes the individual, the most successful adaptation to the universal conditions of existence, coupled with the greatest possible freedom of self-determination." [C.G. Jung, 1875-1961]
Meaning "person whose character stands out from that of others" is from 1889. Personality cult is attested from 1956.
was: O.E. wesan, wæs, wæron 1st and 3rd person sing. of wesan "to remain," from P.Gmc. *wesanan (cf. O.S. wesan, O.N. vesa, O.Fris. wesa, M.Du. wesen, Du. wezen, O.H.G. wesen "being, existence," Goth. wisan "to be"), from PIE base *wes- "remain, abide, dwell" (cf. Skt. vasati "he dwells, stays;" cf. vestal). Wesan was a distinct verb in O.E., but it came to supply the past tense of am. This began to develop in P.Gmc., since it is also the case in Gothic and Old Norse. See be.
fact: 1539, "action," especially "evil deed," from L. factum "event, occurrence," lit. "thing done," from neut. pp. of facere "to do" (see factitious). Usual modern sense of "thing known to be true" appeared 1632, from notion of "something that has actually occurred." Facts of life "harsh realities" is from 1854; specific sense of "human sexual functions" first recorded 1913. Factoid is from 1973, first explained, if not coined, by Norman Mailer.
"Factoids ... that is, facts which have no existence before appearing in a magazine or newspaper, creations which are not so much lies as a product to manipulate emotion in the Silent Majority." [N. Mailer, "Marilyn," 1973]
superman: 1903, coined by George Bernard Shaw to translate Ger. Übermensch, "highly evolved human being that transcends good and evil," from "Thus Spake Zarathustra" (1883-91), by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). First used in Ger. by Hermann Rab (1527), and also used by Herder and Goethe. Translated as overman (1895) and beyond-man (1896) before Shaw got it right in his play title "Man and Superman" (1903). Application to comic strip hero is from 1938.
"So was created ... Superman! champion of the oppressed, the physical marvel who had sworn to devote his existence to helping those in need!" ["Action Comics," June 1, 1938]
Superwoman first recorded 1976 in the sense of "one who combines career and motherhood."
soul (1): O.E. sawol "spiritual and emotional part of a person, animate existence," from P.Gmc. *saiwalo (cf. O.S. seola, O.N. sala, O.Fris. sele, M.Du. siele, Du. ziel, O.H.G. seula, Ger. Seele, Goth. saiwala), of uncertain origin. Sometimes said to mean originally "coming from or belonging to the sea," because that was supposed to be the stopping place of the soul before birth or after death. Hence, from P.Gmc. *saiwaz (see sea). Meaning "spirit of a deceased person" is attested in O.E. from 971. As a synonym for "person, individual" (e.g. every living soul) it dates from c.1320. Soulmate (1822) is first attested in Coleridge. Soul-searching (n.) is attested from 1948, from the phrase used as a pp. adj. (1612).
agnostic: 1870, "one who professes that the existence of a First Cause and the essential nature of things are not and cannot be known." Coined by T.H. Huxley (1825-1895) from Gk. agnostos "unknown, unknowable," from a- "not" + gnostos "(to be) known" (see gnostic). Sometimes said to be a reference to Paul's mention of the altar to "the Unknown God," but according to Huxley it was coined with ref. to the early Church movement known as Gnosticism (see Gnostic).
"I ... invented what I conceived to be the appropriate title of 'agnostic,' ... antithetic to the 'Gnostic' of Church history who professed to know so much about the very things of which I was ignorant." [T.H. Huxley, "Science and Christian Tradition," 1889]
The adj. is first recorded 1873. Agnosticism also is recorded from 1870.
sooth: O.E. soð "truth," noun use of soþ (adj.) "true," originally *sonþ-, from P.Gmc. *santhaz (cf. O.N. sannr, O.S. soth, O.H.G. sand "true," Goth. sunja "truth"), and thus cognate with O.E. synn "sin" and L. sontis "guilty" (truth is related to guilt via "being the one;" see sin), from PIE *es-ont- "being, existence," thus "real, true," from prp. of base *es-, the s-form of the verb "to be" (see be), preserved in L. sunt "they are" and Ger. sind. Archaic in Eng., it is the root of modern words for "true" in Swed. (sann) and Dan. (sand). In common use until c.1650, then obsolete until revived as an archaism early 19c. by Scott, etc. Soothsayer is attested from 1340, from O.E. seðan "declare (the truth)."
avouch: late 15c., from M.Fr. avochier "call upon as authority," from O.Fr. avochier "call (to court), advocate, plead (a case)," from L. advocare "call to" as a witness (see advocate).
"Avouch, which is no longer in common use, means guarantee, solemnly aver, prove by assertion, maintain the truth or existence of, vouch for .... Avow means own publicly to, make no secret of, not shrink from admitting, acknowledge one's responsibility for .... Vouch is now common only in the phrase vouch for, which has taken the place of avouch in ordinary use, & means pledge one's word for ...." [Fowler]
am: O.E. eom "to remain," (Mercian eam, Northumbrian am), from PIE *esmi- (cf. O.N. emi, Goth. im, Hittite esmi, O.C.S. jesmi, Lith. esmi), from base *es-, *s-, the S-ROOT, which also yielded Gk. esti-, L. est, Skt. as-, and Ger. ist. In O.E. it existed only in present tense, all other forms being expressed in the W-BASE (see were, was). This cooperative verb is sometimes referred to by linguists as *es-*wes-. Until the distinction broke down 13c., *es-*wes- tended to express "existence," with beon meaning something closer to "come to be" (see be). O.E. am had two plural forms: 1. sind/sindon, sie and 2. earon/aron The s- form (also used in the subjunctive) fell from use in the early 13c. (though it continues in Ger. sind, the 3rd person plural of "to be") and was replaced by forms of be, but aron (aren, arn, are, from P.Gmc. *ar-, probably a variant of PIE base *es-) continued, and as am and be merged it encroached on some uses that previously had belonged to be. By the early 1500s it had established its place in standard Eng. Art became archaic in the 1800s.
spring (v.): O.E. springan "to leap, burst forth, fly up" (class III strong verb; past tense sprang, pp. sprungen), from P.Gmc. *sprenganan (cf. O.N., O.Fris. springa, M.Du. springhen, O.H.G. springan, Ger. springen), from PIE *sprengh- "rapid movement" (cf. Skt. sprhayati "desires eagerly," Gk. sperkhesthai "to hurry"). In M.E., it took on the role of causal sprenge, from O.E. sprengan (as still in to spring a trap, etc.). Slang meaning "to pay" (for a treat, etc.) is arecorded from 1906. Meaning "to announce suddenly" (usually with on) is from 1876. Meaning "to release" (from imprisonment) is from 1900. The noun meaning "act of springing or leaping" is from c.1450. The elastic coil that returns to its shape when stretched is so called from 1428, originally in clocks and watches. As a device in carriages, coaches, etc., it is attested from 1665. From c.1300 the noun had a general sense of "action or time of rising or springing into existence," and was used of sunrise, the waxing of the moon, rising tides, etc., a sense preserved in spring (n.1). Springer as a type of spaniel is recorded from 1808.
satire: late 14c., "work intended to ridicule vice or folly," from L. satira "satire, poetic medley," earlier satura, in lanx satura "mixed dish, dish filled with various kinds of fruit," lit. "full dish," from fem. of satur "sated" (see saturate). First applied in literary sense to a collection of poems on a variety of subjects by Ennius. In classical L., a poem which assailed the prevailing vices, one after another. Altered in L. by infl. of Gk. satyr, on mistaken notion that the form is related to the Gk. satyr drama (see satyr).
"Satire (n.) - An obsolete kind of literary composition in which the vices and follies of the author's enemies were expounded with imperfect tenderness. In this country satire never had more than a sickly and uncertain existence, for the soul of it is wit, wherein we are dolefully deficient, the humor that we mistake for it, like all humor, being tolerant and sympathetic. Moreover, although Americans are 'endowed by their Creator' with abundant vice and folly, it is not generally known that these are reprehensible qualities, wherefore the satirist is popularly regarded as a sour-spirited knave, and his every victim's outcry for codefendants evokes a national assent." [Ambrose Bierce, "Devil's Dictionary," 1911]
For nuances of usage, see humor.
world: O.E. woruld, worold "human existence, the affairs of life," also "the human race, mankind," a word peculiar to Gmc. languages (cf. O.S. werold, O.Fris. warld, Du. wereld, O.N. verold, O.H.G. weralt, Ger. Welt), with a literal sense of "age of man," from P.Gmc. *wer "man" (O.E. wer, still in werewolf; see virile) + *ald "age" (see old). Originally "life on earth, this world (as opposed to the afterlife)," sense extended to "the known world" (e.g. "Greatest Show on Earth"), then to "the physical world in the broadest sense, the universe" (c.1200). In O.E. gospels, the commonest word for "the physical world," was Middangeard (O.N. Midgard), lit. "the middle enclosure" (cf. yard), which is rooted in Gmc. cosmology. Gk. kosmos in its ecclesiastical sense of "world of people" sometimes was rendered in Goth. as manaseþs, lit. "seed of man." The usual O.N. word was heimr, lit. "abode" (see home). Words for "world" in some other I.E. languages derive from the root for "bottom, foundation" (cf. Ir. domun, O.C.S. duno, related to Eng. deep); the Lith. word is pasaulis, from pa- "under" + saule "sun." Original sense in world without end, translating L. sæcula sæculorum, and in worldly. L. sæculum can mean both "age" and "world," as can Gk. aion. Worldwide is from 1632. World power in the geopolitical sense first recorded 1900. World-class is attested from 1950, originally of Olympic athletes.