presence

[prez-uhns]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR presence ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

attendance or company: Your presence is requested.

immediate vicinity; proximity: in the presence of witnesses.

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.

Chiefly British. the immediate personal vicinity of a great personage giving audience or reception: summoned to her presence.

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.

personal appearance or bearing, especially of a dignified or imposing kind: a man of fine presence.

a person, especially of noteworthy appearance or compelling personality: He is a real presence, even at a private party.

a divine or supernatural spirit felt to be present: He felt a presence with him in the room.

British Obsolete. presence chamber.

Origin of presence

1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Latin praesentia. See present¹, -ence

Related formsnon·pres·ence, noun

Synonyms for presence

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR presence ON THESAURUS.COM

3. neighborhood. 6. carriage, mien.

Antonyms for presence

1. absence.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for presence

existence, behavior, personality, spirit, latency, companionship, being, subsistence, company, habitation, whereabouts, potentiality, residence, occupation, omnipresence, ubiety, ubiquity, bearing, set, look

Examples from the Web for presence

Contemporary Examples of presence

He appeared to understand however belatedly that he was in the presence of another kind of greatness.
Shot Down During the NYPD Slowdown
Michael Daly
January 7, 2015
No one who lives in an American city requires a flashlight to detect the presence of immigrants or the challenges they face daily.
The 2014 Novel of the Year
Nathaniel Rich
December 29, 2014
In general, their presence is meant to throw you off your game by design.
Brie Larson’s Hollywood Transformation
Marlow Stern
December 29, 2014
Since 2009, the goat has had a thriving Twitter presence as well, today enjoying up to nearly 8,000 followers.
Sweden’s Burning Christmas Goat
Nina Strochlic
December 25, 2014
The young man had the presence of mind to tail Gaylard Williams out of the park and jot down his license plate.
Exposed: The Gay-Bashing Pastor’s Same-Sex Assault
M.L. Nestel
December 21, 2014

Historical Examples of presence

Philothea has glided from the apartment, as if afraid to remain in my presence.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
"His countenance and his voice troubled me, like the presence of evil," answered Philothea.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
If it please you, lady, my master bids me say he desires your presence.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
But for the stranger's presence it would have been attended to two hours earlier.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
As a foil to his austerity, therefore, she would be audaciously gay in his presence.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson

British Dictionary definitions for presence

presence

noun

the state or fact of being present

the immediate proximity of a person or thing

personal appearance or bearing, esp of a dignified nature

an imposing or dignified personality

an invisible spirit felt to be nearby

electronics a recording control that boosts mid-range frequencies

(of a recording) a quality that gives the impression that the listener is in the presence of the original source of the sound

obsolete assembly or company

obsolete short for presence chamber

Word Origin for presence

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for presence

mid-14c., "fact of being present," from Old French presence (12c., Modern French présence), from Latin praesentia "a being present," from praesentem (see present (n.)). Meaning "carriage, demeanor, aspect" (especially if impressive) is from 1570s; that of "divine, spiritual, or incorporeal being felt as present" is from 1660s. Presence of mind (1660s) is a loan-translation of French présence d'esprit, Latin praesentia animi.