Being
/ˈbiːɪŋ/
Definitions
2 meaningsThe state or fact of existing.
/ˈbiːɪŋ/
Existence or a particular type of existence.
His being was threatened.
💡 Simply: What something is; its existence.
More Examples
A state of being.
How It's Used
"The nature of being is a central question in metaphysics."
"Human beings are social creatures."
The action or state of existing.
/ˈbiːɪŋ/
The act or state of existing.
The secret to happiness is in the being, not the doing.
💡 Simply: The act of existing or living.
How It's Used
"He enjoyed the simple being of life in the country."
"Meditation is about finding inner peace through being."
Idioms & expressions
human being
A person; a human.
"Every human being deserves respect."
From Old English *beon, *wesan, meaning "to be". It evolved through Middle English to its modern forms, encompassing both noun and gerund uses.
The word 'being' has been used in a philosophical sense since the ancient Greeks.
Memory tip
Think of 'being' as the essence of something's existence.