Entity Is Built From the Verb To Be
An entity is a thing with distinct existence. Latin had to invent a participle for *being* to make the word possible.
An entity is something with a distinct and independent existence. Its construction required an invention: Latin had no present participle of *esse*, to be, so philosophers coined *ens*, a being, to fill the gap. From that came *entity*, and from the same need came *essence*. English uses both words constantly without noticing they were purpose-built.
- A distinct thing. *A separate legal entity.*
- Existence. *Its very entity.*
- A being. *An unknown entity.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | entity | A legal entity. |
| Plural | entities | Related entities. |
| Related | essence | The essence of it. |
| Related | essential | An essential point. |
| Related | absent | Absent from the list. |
How it is used in a sentence
- A company is a separate legal entity.Distinct from its owners.
- Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily.Occam's razor, in its usual paraphrase.
- An unknown entity.A being or thing not identified.
Kinds of entity
- Legal entity — has rights and obligations in law
- Natural person — a human being in legal terms
- Corporate entity — a company, treated as a person in law
- Entity relationship — a database modelling concept
- Named entity — in language processing, a person, place or organisation
From Medieval Latin *entitas*, from Late Latin *ens*, a being, a coined present participle of *esse*, to be.
Why did Latin need to coin *ens*?
Because *esse*, to be, had no present participle. Philosophers invented one so they could talk about beings as a class.
What is a separate legal entity?
An organisation treated in law as a person in its own right, able to own property and be sued independently of its members.