entity

noun

en·ti·ty | \ˈen-tə-tē,

ˈe-nə-\

plural entities

Definition of entity

1a : being, existence especially : independent, separate, or self-contained existence

b : the existence of a thing as contrasted with its attributes

2 : something that has separate and distinct existence and objective or conceptual reality

3 : an organization (such as a business or governmental unit) that has an identity separate from those of its members

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Examples of entity in a Sentence

One division of the company was broken off as a separate entity. the question of whether extrasensory perception will ever be a scientifically recognized entity

Recent Examples on the Web

In May 2016, Common Council members were told the facility would be a place where paper would be shredded, then mulched and sold to entities where it could be turned into energy sources. — Gregory Tejeda, Post-Tribune, "Gary recycling facility gets 6-month permit extension; protests continue," 12 July 2018 The only entities to have conducted controlled landings on the Moon are the governments of the former Soviet Union, the United States, and China. — Lucas Laursen, Fortune, "Israel's First Moon Mission Is Planned and a SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Will Take It," 11 July 2018 Flynn is one of 20 people and entities indicted in connection with Mueller's investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians. — NBC News, "Michael Flynn pushes for faster sentencing in Russia probe," 10 July 2018 Other users who have delved into the trend include @VanillaJellaba, the layered mask-wearing entity. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "@Checking_Invoices Is the Anonymous, Masked Instagram Account That Makes Fashion Fun Again," 10 July 2018 According to critics, the relationship between SoftBank, which would control 27 percent of the combined T-Mobile and Sprint entity, and Huawei poses a risk to the development of next-generation wireless technology. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "Sprint’s ties to Chinese firm Huawei could complicate T-Mobile merger," 3 July 2018 The entity seems to be more of a trip line to detect future attacks than a concerted effort to find the culprits behind the Cuban and Chinese incidents. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "The U.S. Is Still Clueless About the Creepy 'Sonic' Attacks in China and Cuba," 7 June 2018 The 97-year-old entity recently announced plans to nix the swimsuit competition, a move widely viewed as a pivot toward modernization in a post-#MeToo world. — Mekita Rivas, Glamour, "What Former Beauty Queens Really Think About Pageant Swimsuit Competitions," 6 June 2018 In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that people or entities sued under the Alien Tort Statute must have a real connection to the United States, but did not decide whether businesses could be sued. — Jewish Journal, "U.S. Supreme Court rules against Israeli terror victims in case against Arab Bank," 25 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'entity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near entity

Statistics for entity

Last Updated

4 Oct 2018

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Time Traveler for entity

The first known use of entity was in 1596

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More Definitions for entity

entity

noun

English Language Learners Definition of entity

: something that exists by itself : something that is separate from other things

See the full definition for entity in the English Language Learners Dictionary

entity

noun

en·ti·ty | \ˈen(t)-ət-ē

plural entities

Medical Definition of entity

: something (as a disease or condition) that has separate and distinct existence and objective or conceptual reality whether the common cold is an entity has been debated — Year Book of Medicine

entity

noun

en·ti·ty | \ˈen-ti-tē

plural entities

Legal Definition of entity

: an organization (as a business or governmental unit) that has a legal identity which is separate from those of its members — see also alter ego, instrumentality, juridical person, legal person, pierce