Word.ws English Dictionary

self-existence

self-existence noun: inherent existence; existence by virtue of a being's own nature, and independent of any other being or cause.

Noun

self-existence (uncountable)

  1. inherent existence; existence by virtue of a being's own nature, and independent of any other being or cause
    • self-existence is an attribute of God
    • If a first Body may to any Place
      Be not determin'd, in the boundless Space,
      'Tis plain, it then may absent be from all;
      Who then will this a Self-existence call?1712, Richard Blackmore, Creation
  2. self-sufficiency
    • Wasting and spoiling with a ruffian hand,/While her accomplice faith, wrapt up at home/In proud security of self-existence,/Thinks that existence shall absolve them both?1781, Horace Walpole, The Mysterious Mother
    • We are counselled and taught by our brethren to prepare ourselves for self-existence, to look after those things which are calculated to make us free and independent.1861 September 29, Daniel H. Wells, Remarks made in the Bowery, Great Salt Lake City

Origin of self-existence

From self- + existence.

Questions about self-existence

What does self-existence mean?
Self-existence means inherent existence; existence by virtue of a being's own nature, and independent of any other being or cause.
What part of speech is self-existence?
Self-existence is a noun.

Words near self-existence in the dictionary

  1. self-executing
  2. self-exile
  3. self-exiled
  4. self-exiles
  5. self-exiling
  6. self-existence
  7. self-existent
  8. self-experiment
  9. self-experimental
  10. self-experimentation
  11. self-experimented

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: self-existence (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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