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Definitions for Essence

[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.
[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.
[7] in essence , essentially; at bottom, often despite appearances: For all his bluster, he is in essence a shy person.
[8] of the essence , absolutely essential; critical; crucial: In chess, cool nerves are of the essence.
[9] the characteristic or intrinsic feature of a thing, which determines its identity; fundamental nature
[10] the most distinctive element of a thing the essence of a problem
[11] a perfect or complete form of something, esp a person who typifies an abstract quality he was the essence of gentility
[12] philosophy the unchanging and unchangeable nature of something which is necessary to its being the thing it is; its necessary properties Compare accident (def. 4) the properties in virtue of which something is called by its name the nature of something as distinct from, and logically prior to, its existence
[13] theol an immaterial or spiritual entity
[14] the constituent of a plant, usually an oil, alkaloid, or glycoside, that determines its chemical or pharmacological properties an alcoholic solution of such a substance
[15] a substance, usually a liquid, containing the properties of a plant or foodstuff in concentrated form vanilla essence
[16] a rare word for perfume
[17] in essence essentially; fundamentally
[18] of the essence indispensable; vitally important

Words related to Essence

core, substance, nature, root, basis, character, soul, element, crux, meaning, principle, aspect, reality, quality, spirit, structure, lifeblood, scent, kernel, point

Words nearby Essence

essayist, essayistic, esse, esse quam videri, essen, essence, essence d'orient, essence of bergamot, essene, essential, essential amino acid

Origin of Essence

1350–1400; Middle English essencia < Medieval Latin, for Latin essentia. See esse, -ence

Other words from Essence

self-es·sence , noun

Word origin for Essence

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

Synonyms for Essence

aspect, basis, bottom line, character, core, crux, element, lifeblood, meaning, nature, principle, quality, reality, root, soul, spirit, structure, substance, attribute, backbone, base, being, bottom, burden, caliber, constitution, entity, essentiality, fiber, form, fundamentals, germ, grain, kernel, life, marrow, meat, nitty-gritty, nub, nucleus, pith, point, property, quiddity, quintessence, stuff, timber, vein, be-all and end-all, chief constituent, essentia, main idea, name of game, virtuality