An entity is something that exists as itself, as a subject or as an object, actually or potentially, concretely or abstractly, physically or not. It does not need to be of material existence. The word "entity" is derived from the Latin entitas, which means "being" or "existing". In general, an entity is an existing or real thing. Here are some examples of how the term "entity" is used:
- In philosophy, ontology is the study of concepts of existence and of recognition of entities.
- In computer science, an entity is an object that has an identity, which is independent of the changes of its attributes. It represents long-lived information relevant for the users and is usually stored in a database.
- In relation to a database, an entity is a single person, place, or thing about which data can be stored.
- In legal terms, an entity is an organization (such as a business or governmental unit) that has an identity separate from those of its members.
Overall, an entity can refer to anything that has separate and distinct existence and objective or conceptual reality.
