exist

Where does the word "exist" come from? It comes from Latin sistere, passing through Latin before entering English (1500s).

Exist’s story begins in Latin: sistere meant “to stand, to place.” To stand, to place, combined with ex- (out). Within Latin, it grew into existere by ancient. To stand out, to come into being, from ex- and sistere. It reached English by 1500s as exist. Settled as the English word for having actual being or reality. Today, exist means to have actual being or reality, to be real.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient sistere "to stand, to place", to stand, to place, combined with ex- (out).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient existere "to stand out, to come into being", to stand out, to come into being, from ex- and sistere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s exist "to have actual being or reality", settled as the English word for having actual being or reality.