Etymology Map
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Entity

2 stages from Medieval Latin to English.

Today it means a thing with distinct existence

Where does the word "entity" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin entitas, adopted directly into English (1590s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
entitas
Medieval Latin · medieval
"being"
from 'ens', being, present participle of 'esse', to be
2
Stage 2 of 2
entity
English · 1590s
"existence"
coined by medieval Scholastic philosophers translating Aristotle, who needed a noun for 'being' that classical Latin lacked
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Read the full story

Entity’s story begins in Medieval Latin: entitas meant “being.” From 'ens', being, present participle of 'esse', to be. It reached English by 1590s as entity. Coined by medieval Scholastic philosophers translating Aristotle, who needed a noun for 'being' that classical Latin lacked. Today, entity means a thing with distinct existence.