1. The state or fact of being present; current existence or occurrence.
2. Immediate proximity in time or space.
3. The area immediately surrounding a great personage, especially a sovereign.
4. A person who is present.
5. 1. A person's bearing, especially when it commands respectful attention: "He continues to possess the presence, mental as well as physical, of the young man" (Brendan Gill).
   2. The quality of self-assurance and effectiveness that permits a performer to achieve a rapport with the audience: stage presence.
6. A supernatural influence felt to be nearby.
7. The diplomatic, political, or military influence of a nation in a foreign country, especially as evidenced by the posting of its diplomats or its troops there: "The American diplomatic presence in London began in 1785 when John Adams became our first minister" (Nancy Holmes).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.