1. The state or fact of being objectively real
   "a point of view gradually coming into being";
   - beingness, existence, face of the earth
    
2. A living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently
   "Human beings are complex organisms";
   - organism

1. Have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
   "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer"
    
2. Be identical to; be someone or something
   "The president of the company is John Smith"; "This is my house"
    
3. Occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere
   "Where is my umbrella?"; "The toolshed is in the back"; "What is behind this behavior?"
    
4. Have reality; have an existence, be extant
   "Is there a God?";
   - exist
    
5. Be identical or equivalent to
   "One dollar is 1,000 rubles these days!";
   - equal
    
6. Form or compose
   "This money is my only income"; "The stone wall was the backdrop for the performance";
   - constitute, represent, make up, comprise
    
7. Work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function
   "He is a herpetologist"; "She is our resident philosopher";
   - follow
    
8. Represent, as of a character on stage
   "Derek Jacobi was Hamlet";
   - embody, personify
    
9. Spend or use time
   "I may be an hour"
    
10. Have life, be alive
    "Our great leader is no more";
    - live
     
11. To remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted — used only in infinitive form
    "let her be"
     
12. Be priced at
    "That table is £100";
    - cost

Derived forms: beings

See also: existent, existing, inexistent [rare], nonexistent

Type of: animate thing, bear on, causal agency, causal agent, cause, concern, have to do with, living thing, occupy, pertain, refer, relate, remain, represent, rest, stand for, state, stay, symbol [archaic], symbolise [Brit], symbolize, take, touch, touch on, typify, use up, work

Antonym: differ, nonbeing

Encyclopedia: Being