Existant

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Being or occurring in the present time or reality; existing as a current entity or fact; having actual presence or occurrence rather than merely potential or hypothetical
2. Present and real in the world as an individual or phenomenon; having actual existence or manifestation in time or space; characterized by being currently or presently actualized
3. Denoting something that is alive, active, or operative at this moment; existing in fact or reality and not merely conceived or imagined; having definitive and observable being or presence

Etymology: "Existant" is a misspelling of "existent," which means "existing, real at present." The correct form comes from Latin "existens," the present participle of "existere," meaning "to step forth" or "to emerge," built from "ex-" ("out") and "sistere" ("to stand" or "to place"). The English word is formed from "exist" with the suffix "-ent," which turns a verb into an adjective describing a state of being. The spelling "existant" follows the pattern of many English adjectives ending in "-ant," such as "important" or "pleasant," which is why writers often reach for it. The "-ent" and "-ant" endings were both inherited from Latin participles and have long been used interchangeably in English, but "existent" is the form that has become standard.

Synonyms: existing, present, current, actual, living

Antonyms: nonexistent, absent, missing, lost, defunct