- Today's Word
Extant
EK-stuhnt (or EK-stant)
Definition
- (adjective) Still in existence; surviving, especially when referring to old texts, artifacts, or species.
Example
Despite being written centuries ago, many extant manuscripts of Shakespeare’s works are still carefully preserved in libraries.
Fun Fact
“Extant” comes from the Latin extare, meaning “to stand out” or “to exist.” Unlike its often-confused counterpart “existence,” which applies to anything currently present, “extant” is typically used for things that have survived against the odds—whether ancient relics, historical documents, or even species once thought to be extinct. The discovery of the coelacanth, a deep-sea fish thought to have vanished 66 million years ago, is a famous example of an extant species defying expectations.
(adjective) Distant from the ordinary; elevated, refined, or thin (as in air at high altitudes).
The scientist’s rarefied theories fascinated her peers but left the public scratching their heads.
From Latin rarefacere, meaning “to make thin.”