presence

[ prez-uhns ]

noun

1. the state or fact of being present, as with others or in a place.

   Antonyms: absence

2. attendance or company:

   Your presence is requested.

3. immediate vicinity; proximity:

   in the presence of witnesses.

   Synonyms: neighborhood

4. the military or economic power of a country as reflected abroad by the stationing of its troops, sale of its goods, etc.:

   the American military presence in Europe;

   the Japanese presence in the U.S. consumer market.

5. Chiefly British. the immediate personal vicinity of a great personage giving audience or reception:

   summoned to her presence.

6. the ability to project a sense of ease, poise, or self-assurance, especially the quality or manner of a person's bearing before an audience:

   The speaker had a good deal of stage presence.

   Synonyms: mien, carriage

7. personal appearance or bearing, especially of a dignified or imposing kind:

   a man of fine presence.

8. a person, especially of noteworthy appearance or compelling personality:

   He is a real presence, even at a private party.

9. a divine or supernatural spirit felt to be present:

   He felt a presence with him in the room.

10. British Obsolete. presence chamber.

presence

/ ˈprɛzəns /

noun

1. the state or fact of being present
2. the immediate proximity of a person or thing
3. personal appearance or bearing, esp of a dignified nature
4. an imposing or dignified personality
5. an invisible spirit felt to be nearby
6. electronics a recording control that boosts mid-range frequencies
7. (of a recording) a quality that gives the impression that the listener is in the presence of the original source of the sound
8. obsolete.
   assembly or company
9. See presence chamber
   obsolete.
   short for presence chamber

Other Words From

• non·presence noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of presence¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin praesentia; present ¹, -ence

Word History and Origins

Origin of presence¹

C14: via Old French from Latin praesentia a being before, from praeesse to be before, from prae before + esse to be

Example Sentences

Someone passing through the lobby wouldn’t notice its presence.

From ProPublica

We think that the presence of a planet between these rings is needed to explain why the disc was torn apart.

From Popular-Science

This holds true for businesses because they can register their presence on YouTube to showcase their resources.

From Search Engine Watch

The mere presence of a young patrons committee, however, doesn’t mean millennials will come, and some nonprofits still find it challenging to engage with the audience.

From Fortune

Critics of symmetry-based tests, though, say that the presence of packing and cracking does not prove that the governing party has intentionally gerrymandered the state’s districts.

From Science News

The well, ghost or no ghost, is certainly a piece of history with a bold presence.

From The Daily Beast

“There is a heavy security presence but nothing has changed,” agrees Father Javier.

From The Daily Beast

He appeared to understand however belatedly that he was in the presence of another kind of greatness.

From The Daily Beast

In general, their presence is meant to throw you off your game by design.

From The Daily Beast

No one who lives in an American city requires a flashlight to detect the presence of immigrants or the challenges they face daily.

From The Daily Beast

Recognition of the pneumococcus depends upon its morphology, the fact that it is Gram-staining, and the presence of a capsule.

From Project Gutenberg

His presence, also, always graced Walls End Castle at the regulation periods.

From Project Gutenberg

Most characteristic is the presence of Curschmann's spirals, Charcot-Leyden crystals, and eosinophilic leukocytes.

From Project Gutenberg

For two consecutive seasons he lived in the sunlight of Mademoiselle Duvigne's presence.

From Project Gutenberg

This, however, should not be accepted as proving the presence of bile without further tests.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• behavior
• personality