present
Definitions
General English
- adjective at a place when something happens there
- noun the form of a verb showing that the action is happening now
- verb to give something formally to someone as a present
- verb to introduce a show on TV or radio
Aviation
- adjective the period in time through which we are now living, between the past and the future
- verb to create or to make
Banking
- verb to bring or send and show a document
Information & Library Science
- noun something given to a person as a gift
- verb to introduce a person, idea or piece of information
Media Studies
- verb to introduce, or act as the host of, a television or radio programme or an infomercial
Medical
- verb to show particular symptoms
- verb to appear in the vaginal channel
Military
- adverb at this location
Origin & History of “present”
The Latin adjective praesēns ‘at hand, now here’ originated as the present participle of praeesse ‘be before one’, a compound verb formed from the prefix prae- ‘in front’ and esse ‘be’. English acquired it via Old French present, the same route as was taken by its derivative praesentia on its way to English presence (14th c.). The use of the related noun present for ‘gift’ originated in Old French in the concept of ‘bringing something into someone’s presence’, and hence of giving it to them. The verb present (13th c.) comes from the Latin derivative praesentāre.
