---
title: existential — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «existential» in the school dictionary: Existential means to do with existence, especially the big questions about why we exist and what life means. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# existential

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Existential, we, life, existential threat, existential crisis, someone · **What happens:** mean, do, exist, be, end, worry · **To what, where:** big questions, one, something, time, life, existential question · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«existential» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [existential in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/existential.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Existential means to do with existence, especially the big questions about why we exist and what life means.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:existential:m1:1
# text = Existential means to do with existence, especially the big questions about why we exist and what life means.
1	Existential	Existential	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	ccomp	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	existence	existence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	especially	especially	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	questions	question	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
12	about	about	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	11	acl:relcl	_	_
14	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	15	nsubj	_	_
15	exist	exist	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	advcl:relcl	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	15	conj	_	_
18	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
19	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	17	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Existential |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | the big questions |  |  |  | with existence | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **exist** | present | we |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **mean** | present | life |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An existential threat or danger is one that could end something completely, such as a species, a country or the world.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:existential:m2:1
# text = An existential threat or danger is one that could end something completely, such as a species, a country or the world.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	existential	existential	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	threat	threat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	conj	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
9	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	end	end	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	acl:relcl	_	_
11	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obj	_	_
12	completely	completely	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
14	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	17	case	_	_
15	as	as	ADP	IN	_	14	fixed	_	_
16	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
17	species	species	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	20	punct	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	country	country	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	appos	_	_
21	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	23	cc	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	world	world	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a existential threat or danger | one and a species |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **end** | could |  | something |  |  |  | completely *property* | vn stop-55.4-1-1 «NP V NP.eventuality»: agent=Subeventuality something=Eventuality |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An «existential crisis» is a time when someone worries deeply about the meaning of their life, often used jokingly.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:existential:m3:1
# text = An «existential crisis» is a time when someone worries deeply about the meaning of their life, often used jokingly.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	existential	existential	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	crisis	crisis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	11	mark	_	_
10	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	nsubj	_	_
11	worries	worry	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	acl:relcl	_	_
12	deeply	deeply	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
13	about	about	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	18	nmod:poss	_	_
18	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
20	often	often	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	_
21	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl:relcl	_	_
22	jokingly	jokingly	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a existential crisis | a time |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **worry** | present | someone |  |  |  |  | about the meaning of their life; deeply *property* | vn care-88.1-1 «NP V PP.stimulus what S»: agent=Experiencer about meaning=Stimulus |
| 3 | **use** | participle |  | a time *not said here* |  |  |  | jokingly, often *property* | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **mean** |  |  | their life |  |  |  |  | nom meaning «communication transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Asking «Why do we exist?» is an existential question.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:existential:x1:1
# text = Asking «Why do we exist?» is an existential question.
1	Asking	ask	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	12	csubj	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	Why	why	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
4	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	exist	exist	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
9	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	12	cop	_	_
10	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	existential	existential	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ask** *speech: ask* | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn inquire-37.1.2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **exist** *in a quote* | present · do-support | we |  |  |  |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **be** *speech: other* | present | Asking | a existential question |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some scientists call climate change an existential threat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:existential:x2:1
# text = Some scientists call climate change an existential threat.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	call	call	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	climate	climate	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	change	change	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	existential	existential	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	threat	threat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | present | some scientists | climate change |  |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent change=Recipient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My brother had an existential crisis when he turned eighteen.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:existential:x3:1
# text = My brother had an existential crisis when he turned eighteen.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	existential	existential	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	crisis	crisis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
8	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
9	turned	turn	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
10	eighteen	eighteen	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | My brother | a existential crisis |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent crisis=Patient |
| 2 | **turn** | past | brother | eighteen |  |  |  |  | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent eighteen=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Losing its forest is an existential danger for the orangutan.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:existential:x4:1
# text = Losing its forest is an existential danger for the orangutan.
1	Losing	lose	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	existential	existential	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	orangutan	orangutan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lose** | gerund |  | its forest |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent forest=Eventuality |
| 2 | **is a** | present | Losing | a existential danger |  |  |  | for the orangutan | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Philosophers have argued about existential ideas for centuries.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:existential:x5:1
# text = Philosophers have argued about existential ideas for centuries.
1	Philosophers	philosopher	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	argued	argue	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	about	about	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	existential	existential	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	ideas	idea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	centuries	century	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **argue** *speech: disagree* | present · perfect | Philosophers |  |  |  | century | about existential ideas | vn correspond-36.1-1 «NP V PP.theme S»: agent=Agent about idea=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«I'm having an existential crisis about which cereal to choose,» joked Mum.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:existential:x6:1
# text = «I'm having an existential crisis about which cereal to choose,» joked Mum.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	'm	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	having	have	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	existential	existential	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	crisis	crisis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
8	about	about	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	which	which	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	10	det	_	_
10	cereal	cereal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	choose	choose	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	_
15	joked	joke	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	parataxis	_	_
16	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** *in a quote* | present · progressive | Mum | a existential crisis |  |  |  | about which cereal | tree rules |
| 2 | **choose** *in a quote* | to-infinitive | Mum *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **joke** *speech: other* | past | Mum |  |  |  |  |  | vn chit\_chat-37.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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