esse
Americannoun
noun
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existence
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essential nature; essence
Usage
What is esse? Esse refers to existence or essence. Esse means that something has a physical form or is not imaginary or fictional. It exists, as in During an existential crisis, a man may question life itself and even doubt the esse of reality. Esse can also mean essence. It is the very nature of something or its defining quality, as in Freedom and choice are the esse of our democracy. Example: The priest gave a sermon in which he said that humanity’s existence, our esse, is a gift from God.
Etymology
Origin of esse
C17: from Latin: to be
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There’s Berkeley’s esse est percipi, the more radical claim that behind appearances lurk more appearances, that objects are made not of atoms but of thoughts.
From Scientific American ● Jan. 31, 2014
Phainetai moi . . ." as the best one goes in Greek, copied by the Roman poet Catullus in "Ille mi par esse .
From The Guardian ● Sep. 24, 2010
He showed us what the esse of the papal office is and, underneath, has always been: a simple, loving pastor rather than a crowned autocrat.
From Time Magazine Archive
Some sixty years have passed since I studied Latin in school, but I think I am not far wrong when I quote the phrase which Cato used as follows: Caeterum Censeo Cartaginem esse delendam.
From Time Magazine Archive
The very conception of the meaning of true and false is derived from the senses:— Invenies primis ab sensibus esse creatam Notitiam veri neque sensus posse refelli19.
From The Roman Poets of the Republic by W. Y. Sellar
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
