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inessential

[in-i-sen-shuh l]
See more synonyms for inessential on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. not essential; not necessary; nonessential.
  2. without essence; insubstantial.
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noun
  1. that which is not essential.
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Origin of inessential

First recorded in 1670–80; in-3 + essential
Related formsin·es·sen·ti·al·i·ty, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

wantonsurplusaccidentalneedlessunessentialchanceprodigalundesirableexcessnonessentialadditionalavoidablecasualdispensableexorbitantexpendableextraneousextrinsicfortuitousfutile

Examples from the Web for inessential

Historical Examples

  • It is inessential here to recount the details of these movements.

    Four Years in Rebel Capitals

    T. C. DeLeon

  • None are inessential, however slight; and none are independent, however forcible.

  • It was not for Louie to spoil the sport by pointing out the inessential omission.

    The Story of Louie

    Oliver Onions

  • You've been a good father in every inessential way, but no father at all in all that goes to make us men.

  • Of course the "subliminal" theory is an inessential hypothesis, and the question of pluralism or monism is equally inessential.

British Dictionary definitions for inessential

inessential

adjective
  1. not necessary
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noun
  1. anything that is not essential
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Derived Formsinessentiality, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012