presentation

American  

[prez-uhn-tey-shuhn, pree-zen-] / ˌprɛz ənˈteɪ ʃən, ˌpri zɛn- /

noun

presentations plural

1. an act of presenting.

2. the state of being presented.

3. a social introduction, as of a person at court.

4. an exhibition or performance, as of a play or film.

5. offering, delivering, or bestowal, as of a gift.

6. a gift.

7. a demonstration, lecture, or welcoming speech.

8. a manner or style of speaking, instructing, or putting oneself forward.

   His presentation was very poor.

9. Commerce. the presentment of a bill, note, or the like.

10. Obstetrics.

    1. the position of the fetus in the uterus during labor.

    2. the appearance of a particular part of the fetus at the cervix during labor.

       a breech presentation.

11. Ecclesiastical. the act or the right of presenting a member of the clergy to the bishop for institution to a benefice.

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presentation British  

/ ˌprɛzənˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of presenting or state of being presented

2. the manner of presenting, esp the organization of visual details to create an overall impression

   the presentation of the project is excellent but the content poor

3. the method of presenting

   his presentation of the facts was muddled

4. a verbal report presented with illustrative material, such as slides, graphs, etc

   a presentation on the company results

5. 1. an offering or bestowal, as of a gift

   2. ( as modifier )

      a presentation copy of a book

6. a performance or representation, as of a play

7. the formal introduction of a person, as into society or at court; debut

8. the act or right of nominating a clergyman to a benefice

9. med the position of a baby relative to the birth canal at the time of birth

10. commerce another word for presentment

11. television linking material between programmes, such as announcements, trailers, or weather reports

12. an archaic word for gift

13. philosophy a sense datum

14. (often capital) another name for (feast of) Candlemas

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpresentation
  noun
• self-presentation
  noun
• presentational
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• presentations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of presentation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin praesentātiōn-, stem of praesentātiō “exhibition, showing, nomination to a benefice, religious dedication”; equivalent to present ² + -ation

Explanation

The noun presentation means the official giving, or presenting, of something. The presentation of diplomas at a graduation ceremony is the part that makes many of the parents in the audience cry. A presentation can be a ceremony of giving some gift or award, and it can also be a demonstration or show — like a dog training presentation at your local pet store. Another meaning of presentation is a style of displaying something — like the presentation of plants and flowers in the florist's window or the presentation of food on a buffet table. In the 1600s, presentation was commonly used to mean "show or play," as in "a theatrical presentation."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

presentation presentations

Antigen presentation is a process in which immune cells display molecular material to help coordinate an immune response.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

"That has paid off really well for us because there are a lot of people out there that are seeking that 70 millimeter presentation."

From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026

With its revised outlooks, Tractor Supply said it would withdraw its long-term financial framework, first disclosed during a December 2024 investor presentation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

There has been also been newfound attention on theatrical presentation and film formats, including the highly sought after 70mm showing of Christopher Nolan’s latest epic, “The Odyssey.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

As soon as Mr. Neely said it, a part of me knew whose project I would pick, but I still surprised myself by getting out my notebook when Mikayla did her presentation.

From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller

The vote followed hours of presentations by FDA scientists who urged against recommending greater access to BPC-157, as well as public comment on both sides of the issue.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

They were impressed with Rucci’s presentations, which included mention that he had secured interest in the project from tech giant Google.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Sean McKinnon, director of specialty presentations and AV integration at Boston Light and Sound, is in charge of hiring these projectionists for about 60 venues across the country screening “The Odyssey” in 70mm.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

I’ve seen it on many products, in many different presentations — pink-glitter bubble letters on a sticker, loopy black cursive on a tote bag, industrial embroidery on a hat.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

Then the presentations started, and my stomach felt a whole lot worse.

From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones

Related Words

• appearance
• delivery
• demonstration
• display
• introduction
• offering
• production
• proposal
• reception
• show
• submission