entity
Americannoun
plural
entities-
something that has a real existence; thing.
corporeal entities.
-
being or existence, especially when considered as distinct, independent, or self-contained.
He conceived of society as composed of particular entities requiring special treatment.
-
essential nature.
The entity of justice is universality.
noun
-
something having real or distinct existence; a thing, esp when considered as independent of other things
-
existence or being
-
the essence or real nature
Other Word Forms
- entitative adjective
- entitatively adverb
Etymology
Origin of entity
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Medieval Latin entitās, from enti-, stem of ēns “being” (present participle of esse “to be”; cf. essence ( def. )) + -tās -ty 2
Explanation
If your little sister turns her lemonade stand into a lemonade empire, she might incorporate it as a company. Under the law, it would be considered an entity, or a separate being for purposes of government control. The word entity originally meant "being, existence," and was borrowed from Medieval Latin entitas, from Latin ens, irregular form of esse "to be, exist." The suffix –ity means "quality or state." Medieval Christian philosophers, influenced by the Church Fathers and Aristotle, discussed the concept of ens "abstract being" versus esse "actual being."
Vocabulary lists containing entity
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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Vocabulary to Describe Literary Devices
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10 Tricky Words From 8th Grade Vocabulary Experts
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company’s high-profile investments in these AI startups are separate from GV, an actual venture-capital entity that’s affiliated with Alphabet but run independently of the company.
From MarketWatch • May 2, 2026
Ackman, however, said he wanted a different approach for his new fund: “I want this to be an entity that favors retail investors, as opposed to giving all the benefits to the institutions.”
From Barron's • May 1, 2026
Since such vehicles operate through a mix of integrated hardware and software systems, “the manufacturer is the entity responsible for correcting the behavior,” Groveman said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
"We do feel well protected but it's hard to protect against an unknown entity", she admitted.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
She saw his book as an entity that already existed and could therefore be finished.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
