essence

[es-uhns]

noun

1. the basic, real, and invariable nature of a thing or its significant individual feature or features.

   Freedom is the very essence of our democracy.

   Synonyms: core, soul, principle, heart, lifeblood, spirit, substance

2. a substance obtained from a plant, drug, or the like, by distillation, infusion, etc., and containing its characteristic properties in concentrated form.

3. an alcoholic solution of an essential oil; spirit.

4. a perfume; scent.

5. Philosophy.,  the inward nature, true substance, or constitution of anything, as opposed to what is accidental, phenomenal, illusory, etc.

6. something that exists, especially a spiritual or immaterial entity.

essence

/ ˈɛsəns /

noun

1. the characteristic or intrinsic feature of a thing, which determines its identity; fundamental nature

2. the most distinctive element of a thing

   the essence of a problem

3. a perfect or complete form of something, esp a person who typifies an abstract quality

   he was the essence of gentility

4. philosophy

   1. the unchanging and unchangeable nature of something which is necessary to its being the thing it is; its necessary properties Compare accident

   2. the properties in virtue of which something is called by its name

   3. the nature of something as distinct from, and logically prior to, its existence

5. theol an immaterial or spiritual entity

6. 1. the constituent of a plant, usually an oil, alkaloid, or glycoside, that determines its chemical or pharmacological properties

   2. an alcoholic solution of such a substance

7. a substance, usually a liquid, containing the properties of a plant or foodstuff in concentrated form

   vanilla essence

8. a rare word for perfume

9. essentially; fundamentally

10. indispensable; vitally important

Other Word Forms

• self-essence noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of essence¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English essencia, from Medieval Latin, from Latin essentia, equivalent to esse + -ence

Word History and Origins

Origin of essence¹

C14: from Medieval Latin essentia, from Latin: the being (of something), from esse to be

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. of the essence, absolutely essential; critical; crucial.

   In chess, cool nerves are of the essence.

2. in essence, essentially; at bottom, often despite appearances.

   For all his bluster, he is in essence a shy person.

Example Sentences

In essence, Democrats immunized him from his own past by accusing him of the one thing of which he could be found innocent.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

With the chorus representing the voice of the polity eliminated, in essence Mr. Icke has transformed the play into a more intimate if no less fraught family tragedy.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

From the music, Whitten would catch inspiration and design something that captured the unique essence of the artist.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

This isn’t the sort of ride most investors enjoy, but it was, Burry thought, the essence of value investing.

Read more on Literature

In urging the First Circuit to preserve McConnell’s ruling, the coalition that sued in Rhode Island said children and families are going hungry and “time is of the essence.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• aspect 
• basis 
• bottom line 
• character 
• core 
• crux 
• element 
• lifeblood 
• meaning 
• nature 
• principle 
• quality 
• reality 
• root 
• soul 
• spirit 
• structure 
• substance