Essene

American  

[es-een, e-seen] / ˈɛs in, ɛˈsin /

noun

Judaism.

1. a member of a Palestinian sect, characterized by asceticism, celibacy, and joint holding of property, that flourished from the 2nd century b.c. to the 2nd century a.d.

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Essene British  

/ ɛˈsɛnɪk, ɛˈsiːnɪən, ɛˈsiːn, ˈɛsiːn /

noun

1. Judaism a member of an ascetic sect that flourished in Palestine from the second century _bc to the second century _ad , living in strictly organized communities

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Usage

What is an Essene? An Essene is a member of a Jewish sect that existed from around 200 b.c.e. until 200 c.e.The Essenes were a religious group that split from the Jewish majority to form their own community in the Palestinian desert. Historical evidence suggests that they lived in the caves of Qumran, located on the northwestern bank of the Dead Sea.It is thought that the Essenes split off due to disgust or disagreement with some of the Jewish beliefs of the time. The Essenes lived very secluded lives, where every action was dictated by a religious leader. Most Essenes took vows of celibacy and no women were allowed to be members of the group. Essenes practiced asceticism, dedicating their lives to religious study and contemplation. The Essenes also practiced a system of community ownership where everything was shared by the community with no concept of private property. The Essenes were also opposed to slavery.The Essenes believed that an apocalypse was fast approaching. According to them, the end of days would involve a massive battle between the “Sons of Light” and the “Sons of Darkness.” The Sons of Light would be (as you might expect) the Essenes themselves, and the Sons of Darkness included everyone else. The Essenes believed they alone would survive this battle as they were the chosen people.

Other Word Forms

• Essenian adjective
• Essenic adjective

Example Sentences

One of the most popular theories is that they were stored in these caves by the Essenes, a separatist group in ancient Israel that was more religious than many of their contemporaries.

From Salon

Many scholars believed the scrolls originated with the reclusive Essenes, who had broken away from the Jewish mainstream.

From Reuters

The first of the writings were discovered in 1947 in a cave near the shore of the Dead Sea and are believed to have been produced by a Jewish sect known as the Essenes.

From New York Times

It is not known who wrote the scrolls, although some scholars have credited an ascetic desert sect called the Essenes.

From BBC

The Essene sect had been thought of—for reasons I shall presently explain—as soon as the first scrolls were read.

From The New Yorker