摘要：“Extant”源自拉丁语“extans”，意为“延展的”或“正在进行的”，词根“ex-”表示“外部的”，加上“-tans”（来自“tendere”，意为“伸展”），整体含义是“向外伸展的”，引申为“依然存在的”。这个词在中世纪拉丁语中被广泛使用，并进入英语中

extant

英 [ek'stænt] 美 [ek'stænt]

adj.现存的

“Extant”源自拉丁语“extans”，意为“延展的”或“正在进行的”，词根“ex-”表示“外部的”，加上“-tans”（来自“tendere”，意为“伸展”），整体含义是“向外伸展的”，引申为“依然存在的”。这个词在中世纪拉丁语中被广泛使用，并进入英语中。

◉外刊例句

① 《卫报》, 2024-09-01

The only extant manuscript of the 14th-century poem was recently discovered in an old library.

这首14世纪诗作的唯一现存手稿最近在一座旧图书馆中被发现。

② 《科学美国人》, 2024-07-15

Researchers are studying the extantspecies of plants to understand how they adapted to climate change.

研究人员正在研究现存的植物物种，以了解它们是如何适应气候变化的。

◉经典名著

① 《尤利西斯》（Ulysses）, 詹姆斯·乔伊斯, 1922

The extant letters between the two lovers revealed their secret correspondence during the war.

这对恋人之间的现存信件揭示了他们在战争期间秘密通信的内容。

② 《简·爱》（Jane Eyre）, 夏洛蒂·勃朗特, 1847

The only extant portrait of Mr. Rochester was found hidden in the attic.

罗切斯特先生的唯一现存肖像画被发现藏在阁楼里。

◉Usage Examples

(1) This law is ancient but still extant.

(2) This is the extant manuscript of the poem.

(1) 这一法律古老但仍然有效。

(2) 这是现存的该诗的原稿。

◉Usage Notes

Use the adjective extant to describe old things that are still around, like your extant diary from third grade or the only extant piece of pottery from certain craftspeople who lived hundreds of years ago.

Extant is the opposite of extinct: it refers to things that are here — they haven't disappeared or been destroyed. Use extant to describe things that it may be surprising to learn are still around — you wouldn't say jeans you bought last year are extant, but a pair of jeans worn by Marilyn Monroe back in the 1950s? Definitely extant.

1. [ADJ 形容词]尚存的；现存的 If something is extant, it is still in existence, in spite of being very old. [FORMAL 正式]

Two fourteenth-century manuscripts of this text are still extant...

这个文本仍有两份14世纪手抄本存世。

The oldest extant document is dated 1492.

现存最古老的文献出自1492年。

来源：学无用的英语