presence means the fact or condition of being present, or of being within sight or call, or at hand.
presence is pronounced /ˈpɹɛzn̩s/.
Why “presence” is a great word
The state or fact of being in a particular place, or a quality of commanding attention through poise and bearing. From Middle English, via Old French *presence*, from Latin *praesentia* ("a being present"), from *praesentem*, the present participle of *praesum* ("to be present"), which displaced native Old English *andweardnes*. Unlike "absence," which denotes the simple condition of not being there, or "aura," which suggests an ethereal emanation, presence is a fact of substance and a palpable occupancy. It is the sudden hush when a commanding figure enters a room, the stillness of a cat on a windowsill that anchors the entire garden, the weight of a voice that makes the air itself feel heavier—the quiet assertion that here, now, is a reality against which all else must be measured.
Etymology
Through Old French presence, from Latin praesentia (“a being present”), from praesentem. Displaced native Old English andweardnes.
noun
- The fact or condition of being present, or of being within sight or call, or at hand.“Any painter can benefit from the presence of a live model from which to draw.”
- The part of space within one's immediate vicinity.“Bob never said anything about it in my presence.”
- A quality of poise and effectiveness that enables a performer to achieve a close relationship with their audience.
- A quality that sets an individual out from others; a quality that makes them noticed and/or admired even if they are not speaking or performing.“Despite being less than five foot, she filled up the theatre with her stage presence.”
- Something (as a spirit) felt or believed to be present.“I'm convinced that there was a presence in that building that I can't explain, which led to my heroic actions.”
- A company's business activity in a particular market.
- An assembly of great persons.
- The state of being closely focused on the here and now, not distracted by irrelevant thoughts.
- Synonym of room tone.
verb
- To make or become present.“Presence means: the constant abiding that approaches man, reaches him, is extended to him. But what is this source of this extending reach to which the present belongs as presencing, insofar as there is presence? True, man always remains approached by the presencing of something actually present without explicitly heeding presencing itself.”
Words closest in meaning
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