being

[bee-ing]

noun

1. the fact of existing; existence (as opposed to nonexistence).

2. conscious, mortal existence; life.

   Our being is as an instantaneous flash of light in the midst of eternal night.

3. substance or nature.

   of such a being as to arouse fear.

4. something that exists.

   inanimate beings.

5. a living thing.

   strange, exotic beings that live in the depths of the sea.

6. a human being; person.

   the most beautiful being you could imagine.

7. (initial capital letter),  God.

8. Philosophy.

   1. that which has actuality either materially or in idea.

   2. absolute existence in a complete or perfect state, lacking no essential characteristic; essence.

conjunction

1. Nonstandard.,  since; because; considering that (often followed by as, as how, orthat ).

   Being it's midnight, let's go home.

   Being as how you cooked supper, I'll do the dishes.

being

/ ˈbiːɪŋ /

noun

1. the state or fact of existing; existence

2. essential nature; self

   she put her whole being into the part

3. something that exists or is thought to exist, esp something that cannot be assigned to any category

   a being from outer space

4. a person; human being

5. (in the philosophy of Aristotle) actuality Compare becoming

Other Word Forms

• nonbeing noun
• superbeing noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of being¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; be + -ing ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see for the moment (time being); other things being equal.

Example Sentences

She says blended learning has made things easier for her and others, with more lectures now having the option of being attended remotely.

From BBC

Intel shares have skyrocketed after Nvidia announced plans to invest in and partner with the company, sparking hope that the old chipmaker could avoid being left behind in a world powered by artificial intelligence.

From Los Angeles Times

All deals have to get approval of the FCC, which is also being lobbied to lift the cap on how much of the U.S. station owners can cover.

From Los Angeles Times

Comics have long been on the front lines of democracy, the canary in the cat’s mouth, Looney Tunes style, when it comes to free speech being swallowed by regressive politics.

From Los Angeles Times

"Why is he being heralded as some kind of free speech martyr?" he added.

From BBC