[ex.ist] vi [L exsistere to come into being, exist, fr. ex- + sistere to stand, stop; akin to L stare to stand--more at stand] (1602) 1 a: to have real being whether material or spiritual "did unicorns ~" "the largest galaxy known to ~" b: to have being in a specified place or with respect to understood limitations or conditions "strange ideas ~ed in his mind"
2: to continue to be "racism still ~s in society" 3 a: to have life or the functions of vitality "we cannot ~ without oxygen" b: to live at an inferior level or under adverse circumstances "the hungry ~ing from day to day"