Word Study
entity
CIDE DICTIONARY
entity, n. [LL. entitas, fr. L. ens, entis, thing, prop. p. pr. of esse to be: cf. F. entité. See Essence, Is.].
A real being, whether in thought (as an ideal conception) or in fact; being; essence; existence. [1913 Webster]
"Self-subsisting entities, such as our own personality." [1913 Webster]
"Fortune is no real entity, . . . but a mere relative signification." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
entity, n. (pl. -ies)
1 a thing with distinct existence, as opposed to a quality or relation.
2 a thing's existence regarded distinctly.
1 a thing with distinct existence, as opposed to a quality or relation.
2 a thing's existence regarded distinctly.
Derivative
entitative adj.
Etymology
F entit{eacute} or med.L entitas f. LL ens being
THESAURUS
entity
an existence, article, being, body, creature, critter, ens, entelechy, esse, essence, existence, existent, individual, integer, integral, integrate, item, life, material, materiality, matter, module, monad, object, occurrence, organism, person, persona, personality, point, presence, quantity, quiddity, quintessence, single, singleton, something, soul, stuff, subsistence, substance, substantiality, sum, system, thing, totality, unitROGET THESAURUS
entity
Existence
N existence, being, entity, ens, esse, subsistence, reality, actuality, positiveness, fact, matter of fact, sober reality, truth, actual existence, presence, coexistence, stubborn fact, hard fact, not a dream, no joke, center of life, essence, inmost nature, inner reality, vital principle, ontology, existing, existent, under the sun, in existence, extant, afloat, afoot, on foot, current, prevalent, undestroyed, real, actual, positive, absolute, true, substantial, substantive, self-existing, self-existent, essential, well-founded, well-grounded, unideal, unimagined, not potential, authentic, actually, in fact, in point of fact, in reality, indeed, de facto, ipso facto, ens rationis, ergo sum cogito, thinkest thou existence doth depend on time?.For further exploring for "entity" in Webster Dictionary Online