presentation
Americannoun
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an act of presenting.
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the state of being presented.
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a social introduction, as of a person at court.
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an exhibition or performance, as of a play or film.
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offering, delivering, or bestowal, as of a gift.
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a gift.
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a demonstration, lecture, or welcoming speech.
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a manner or style of speaking, instructing, or putting oneself forward.
His presentation was very poor.
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Commerce. the presentment of a bill, note, or the like.
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Obstetrics.
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the position of the fetus in the uterus during labor.
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the appearance of a particular part of the fetus at the cervix during labor.
a breech presentation.
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Ecclesiastical. the act or the right of presenting a member of the clergy to the bishop for institution to a benefice.
noun
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the act of presenting or state of being presented
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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
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the method of presenting
his presentation of the facts was muddled
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a verbal report presented with illustrative material, such as slides, graphs, etc
a presentation on the company results
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an offering or bestowal, as of a gift
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( as modifier )
a presentation copy of a book
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a performance or representation, as of a play
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the formal introduction of a person, as into society or at court; debut
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the act or right of nominating a clergyman to a benefice
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med the position of a baby relative to the birth canal at the time of birth
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commerce another word for presentment
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television linking material between programmes, such as announcements, trailers, or weather reports
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an archaic word for gift
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philosophy a sense datum
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(often capital) another name for (feast of) Candlemas
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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."
Vocabulary lists containing presentation
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Common Core Grades 7–8, List 5
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Common Core Grades 9–10, List 5
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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.
See Examples For:
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
Under Simon’s direction, the presentation is smooth and professional, though the ensemble reflects different levels of experience.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 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
“When Nora and I wanted to walk dogs, we got our parents together and shared a presentation with reasons why we thought they should give us permission. Maybe we could do something like that.”
From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks
In presentations, the district has cited other funding sources that paid for field trips, for example.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Fans are flocking to normal digital presentations too, Phoenix Theatres president Cory Jacobson noted.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 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
His device contained presentations he uses in his talks with young people about positivity, resilience and mental health.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
They paraded in full costume down Durham’s Main Street and gave presentations at the Academy of Music.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
