ontology
Americannoun
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the branch of metaphysics that studies the nature of existence or being as such.
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(loosely) metaphysics.
noun
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philosophy the branch of metaphysics that deals with the nature of being
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logic the set of entities presupposed by a theory
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ontology
From the New Latin word ontologia, dating back to 1715–25. See onto-, -logy
Explanation
If you are interested in metaphysics and the meaning of existence (and want to impress your friends), ontology may be a good field of study for you. Ontology comes from two Greek words: on, which means "being," and logia, which means "study." So ontology is the study of being alive and existing. Heady stuff, but something we all ponder at one point or another. When you see the word ontology, think of Hamlet agonizing over "To be, or not to be" or Descartes stating "I think, therefore I am."
Vocabulary lists containing ontology
Ancient Philosophy
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Native Speaker
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Martin Eden
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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 Ontology forms the core source of truth for the organization, and all of the services Palantir sells to customers sit atop the Ontology.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
“We stand on the walls, sentinels of the inner sanctum, against the assault of AI slop. The Ontology is based firmly in reality—there is, here, a dialectic between ground truth, tribal knowledge, and enhancements.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
“While we have tried to simplify the underlying concepts behind the Ontology model, building and implementing an Ontology in a large enterprise is a laborious process,” the analysts say.
From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026
At the heart of Palantir’s success is the company’s Ontology platform, which organizes a company’s raw data into information that can be easily understood by machines.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 3, 2026
He sent one of the finest things that was ever written on the Ontology of Being to paper after paper, and it was never used.
From Better Dead by Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew)
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.
