Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

existential

/ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛn(t)ʃəl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.47 in modern English

Syllables
ex-is-tent-i-al
IPA
/ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛn(t)ʃəl/
18
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
5
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Of or relating to existence.

adj

Of or relating to existence.

adj

Of or relating to existence.

adj

Of or relating to existentialism (“a philosophical movement emphasizing the uniqueness of each human existence in freely making its self-defining choices”).

adj

Relating to part of a clause that indicates existence (for example, there is).

noun

Ellipsis of existential clause (“a clause that indicates the existence of something”).

noun

Ellipsis of existential type (“in a type system: a type that hides the underlying concrete type(s)”).

Example Sentences

Etymology

The adjective is a learned borrowing from Late Latin existentiālis, exsistentiālis (“coming into or relating to existence”) + English -al (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives; and forming nouns of verbal action). Existentiālis, exsistentiālis are derived from Late Latin existentia, exsistentia (“existence”) + Latin -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship); and existentia, exsistentia from Latin existēns, exsistēns (“being, existing; appearing, emerging; becoming”) (the present active participle of existō, exsistō (“to be, exist; to appear, emerge; to become”), from ex- (prefix meaning ‘away; out’) + sistō (“to cause to stand; to place, set; to halt, stop”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand (up)”))) + -ia (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns). The noun is derived from the adjective.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Prefix: -al
  • Root: existentia,exsistentia, -ālis, existēns,exsistēns, *steh₂-

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛn(t)ʃəl/
  • British English: /ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃl̩/

Inflected Forms

more existential (comparative) most existential (superlative) existentials (plural)

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Antonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce existential?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛn(t)ʃəl/.
What does existential mean?
Of or relating to existence.
Where does existential come from?
It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce existential

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “existential”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛn(t)ʃəl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “existential”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “existential” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.