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Glite Dictionary
🧠 Essential being 📜 To be (Latin)
to esse

to esse

9.9
A Latin verb that means to be
  • verb
  • /ˈɛseɪ/
  • Formal
translation icon : esse
  • In Latin, esse is the verb that means 'to be'.

Examples

  • The phrase 'cogito, ergo esse' is often discussed in philosophy classes.

  • The teacher wrote esse on the board to illustrate the concept of existence.

  • In Latin, the verb esse means 'to be'.

  • What does esse mean in the context of philosophy?

  • The phrase 'cogito, ergo esse' is often discussed in philosophy classes.

  • In Latin, esse is the verb that means 'to be'.

  • The teacher wrote esse on the board to illustrate the concept of existence.

Idioms

to esse est percipi
  • Formal
9.9

To exist only when people notice you or it

Compounds

esse est percipi
  • Formal
9.9

A view that things exist only when someone notices them

Surface Forms

esse infinitive

Etymology

The word esse is a Latin verb form that means 'to be'. It is the source of simple English words like is and appears in the famous phrase 'cogito, ergo esse' which means 'I think, therefore I am', so esse literally names the action of being.