An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. Being, existing, or occurring at this time or now.
   

2. At this time; at hand; immediate.
   

3. Grammar: Noting an action or state occurring at the moment of speaking.

Etymology (EN): M.E., from O.Fr. present, from L. præsentem (nominative præsens) “present, immediate,” from pr.p. of præesse “to be before, to be at hand,” from præ- “before,” → pre-, + esse “to be;” cf. Pers. ast “is,” hastan, astan “to be;” O.P. ah- “to be,” astiy “is;” Av. ah- “to be,” astī “is;” Skt. as- “to be,” ásti “is;” Gk. esti “is;” PIE base es- “to be.”

Etymology (PE): Pišâst, on the model of L. præesse, as above, from piš, → pre-, + epenthetic -â- + ast “is,” variants hast, hi, has (Qâyen), isâ (Rašt), a (Aftar), heye (Kurd.); Av./O.Pers. ah- “to be,” Proto-Ir. *Hah- “to be,” → existence.
Bâšandé agent noun from budan “to be;”
→ condition.
Konuni “presently,” from konun, aknun “now, present,” from *hak-nun, from *hak-, cf. Av. hakat- “at once, immediately” + nū- “now” (Mid/Mod.Pers. nun “now, at present”); Av. nūrəm “now;” O.Pers.
nūram “now;” Skt. nú- “now, just, but,” nūnám “now, at present, indeed;” Gk. nun “now;” L. nu- “now” (in nu-dis “the day after tomorrow”); Goth. nu “now;” O.E. nu; E. now; PIE base *nu- “now.”