existential

[ eg-zi-sten-shuhl, ek-si- ]
See synonyms for existential on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of or relating to existence: Does climate change pose an existential threat to humanity?

  2. of, relating to, or characteristic of philosophical existentialism; concerned with the nature of human existence as determined by the individual's freely made choices.

Origin of existential

1
First recorded in 1685–95, existential is from the Late Latin word existentiālis “relating to existing”; see existence, -al1

Other words from existential

  • ex·is·ten·tial·ly, adverb
  • non·ex·is·ten·tial, adjective
  • non·ex·is·ten·tial·ly, adverb
  • un·ex·is·ten·tial, adjective
  • un·ex·is·ten·tial·ly, adverb

Words Nearby existential

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use existential in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for existential

existential

/ (ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃəl) /


adjective
  1. of or relating to existence, esp human existence

  2. philosophy pertaining to what exists, and is thus known by experience rather than reason; empirical as opposed to theoretical

  1. logic denoting or relating to a formula or proposition asserting the existence of at least one object fulfilling a given condition; containing an existential quantifier

  2. of or relating to existentialism

nounlogic

Derived forms of existential

  • existentially, adverb

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