Definition of word essence

1

a

: the permanent as contrasted with the accidental element of being

b

: the individual, real, or ultimate nature of a thing especially as opposed to its existence

a painting that captures the essence of the land

c

: the properties or attributes by means of which something can be placed in its proper class or identified as being what it is

2

: the most significant element, quality, or aspect of a thing or person

3

: one that possesses or exhibits a quality in abundance as if in concentrated form

she was the essence of punctuality

4

a(1)

: a constituent or derivative possessing the special qualities (as of a plant or drug) in concentrated form

also

: a preparation of such an essence or a synthetic substitute

5

: something that exists : entity

Phrases

in essence

of the essence

: of the utmost importance

Synonyms

Example Sentences

The perennial debate about nature and nurture—which is the more potent shaper of the human essence?—is perennially rekindled.


—Matt Ridley, Time, 2 June 2003


In essence, the positivists were the first sociologists, rejecting both superstition and metaphysics and studying behavior as a natural phenomenon that could be perfected.


—Stephan Talty, Mulatto America, 2003


I had come to Orange Cove on a statewide tour, looking for the essence of Latino life in a changing California and a good bowl of the Mexican stew …


—Joe Rodriguez, San Jose Mercury News, 20 May 2003



The essence of love is unselfishness.



The book’s illustrations capture the essence of the story.

Recent Examples on the Web

In essence, pharmaceuticals were much less present in redfish muscle tissue than in blood.


—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2023




In essence, the coach — who retired and handed over the SDSU reins to Dutcher in 2017 — got caught up in a series of events that, frankly, wouldn’t be frowned upon nearly as harshly today.


—Eddie Pells, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2023




Boylan added that time is of the essence, as there’s significant momentum on electric vehicles, which are still too expensive for many car-buyers.


—Ella Nilsen, CNN, 31 Mar. 2023




In essence, Lloyd Webber had written a reply to critics who saw him (positively or not) as a purveyor of theatrical delights, countering that the experience of listening to music was a matter of grave artistic importance.


—Vulture, 28 Mar. 2023




In essence, the astronaut twin will have traveled into the future.


—Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2023




The hermit kingdom is in essence a criminal conspiracy, engaging in drug smuggling, counterfeiting, and cybercrimes to stay afloat.


—Tim Weiner, The New Republic, 27 Mar. 2023




Yes, a victory against the Knicks would give the Heat that tiebreaker, so in essence that would count double against the Knicks.


—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2023




The last 18 months have shown encouraging signs of recovery for air travel, as well as continued expectations for fast-moving supply chains that include air freight when time is of the essence.


—Nick Santhanam, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2023


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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘essence.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English essencia, from Latin essentia, from esse to be — more at is

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of essence was
in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near essence

Cite this Entry

“Essence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essence. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

Источник

es·sence

(ĕs′əns)

n.

1.

a. The intrinsic or indispensable quality or qualities that serve to characterize or identify something: The essence of democracy is the freedom to choose.

b. Philosophy The inherent, unchanging nature of a thing or class of things, especially as contrasted with its existence.

2. The most important part or aspect of something: The essence of her argument is that the policy is wrongheaded.

3.

a. An extract that has the fundamental properties of a substance in concentrated form.

b. Such an extract in a solution of alcohol.

c. A perfume or scent.

4. One that has or shows an abundance of a quality as if highly concentrated: a neighbor who is the essence of hospitality.

5. Something that exists, especially a spiritual or incorporeal entity.

Idioms:

in essence

By nature; essentially: He is in essence a reclusive sort.

of the essence

Of the greatest importance; crucial: Time is of the essence.

[Middle English

essencia

and French

essence

, both from Latin

essentia

, from

esse

, to be, from the presumed present participle *

essēns

,

*essent-

(on the model of

differentia

, difference, from

differēns

,

different-

, present participle of

differre

, to differ), created to translate Greek

ousiā

(from

ousa

, feminine present participle of

einai

, to be) ; see

es-

in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

essence

(ˈɛsəns)

n

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) philosophy

a. the unchanging and unchangeable nature of something which is necessary to its being the thing it is; its necessary properties. Compare accident4

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

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

5. (Theology) theol an immaterial or spiritual entity

6. (Botany)

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

b. an alcoholic solution of such a substance

7. (Chemistry) a substance, usually a liquid, containing the properties of a plant or foodstuff in concentrated form: vanilla essence.

9. in essence essentially; fundamentally

10. of the essence indispensable; vitally important

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

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

es•sence

(ˈɛs əns)

n.

1. the basic, real, and invariable nature of a thing; substance.

2. a concentrated substance obtained from a plant, drug, or the like, by distillation, infusion, etc.

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

4. a perfume; scent.

5. (in philosophy) the true nature or constitution of anything, as opposed to what is accidental, phenomenal, illusory, etc.

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

Idioms:

1. in essence, essentially; basically.

2. of the essence, absolutely essential; crucial.

[1350–1400; Middle English essencia < Medieval Latin, for Latin essentia, irreg. derivative of esse to be]

Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Essence

 

in a nutshell Concisely, tersely, pithily; briefly, simply, in few words; containing much of substance in a small space, as nutmeat within a nutshell. Nutshell as representative of conciseness has been in use since the 17th century; the phrase in a nutshell since shortly thereafter.

A great complex argument, which … cannot by any ingenuity … be packed into a nutshell. (John Henry Newman, Grammar of Assent, 1870)

nature of the beast The essence of a person or thing; human nature; the qualities and characteristics common to human beings and other animals. This expression combines nature ‘essential qualities or properties’ and beast ‘any animal,’ implying that there is a certain crudeness common to all animals, both human and nonhuman. It is often used in the context of explaining or excusing the behavior of someone who acts or has acted in an inappropriate or boorish manner. Such usage is illustrated in a 1683 letter by Jules Verney:

I’m very sorry [that] John my coachman should be so great a clown to you … but ‘tis the nature of the beast. (Letters and Papers of the Verney Family, 1899)

In recent years, the usage of nature of the beast has been extended to describe the negative qualities often inherent in inanimate objects, bureaucratic systems, and other matters.

part and parcel An integral or essential component; a vital part of a larger entity. In this expression, common since the 14th century, part and parcel are synonymous, their juxtaposition serving to emphasize the importance of a given constituent to the whole.

The places referred to are, for all intents and purposes, part and parcel of the metropolis. (John McCulloch, A Descriptive and Statistical Account of the British Empire, 1846)

sixty-four-dollar question The crux of the matter; the basic or critically important question; the remaining unknown whose answer would provide the ultimate solution of a problem. This expression refers to the prize awarded for correctly answering the last and most difficult in a series of questions asked of a contestant on “Take It or Leave It,” a popular radio quiz show in the 1940s. With the advent of television, the stakes were raised considerably in “The $64,000 Question” (1955-58), giving rise to the updated variation, sixty-four-thousand-dollar question.

Picturesque Expressions: A Thematic Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1980 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun 1. essence — the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience; «the gist of the prosecutor’s argument»; «the heart and soul of the Republican Party»; «the nub of the story»

heart and soul, inwardness, nitty-gritty, pith, substance, gist, kernel, nub, meat, core, sum, marrow, heart, center, centre

cognitive content, mental object, content — the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned

bare bones — (plural) the most basic facts or elements; «he told us only the bare bones of the story»

hypostasis — (metaphysics) essential nature or underlying reality

haecceity, quiddity — the essence that makes something the kind of thing it is and makes it different from any other

quintessence — the purest and most concentrated essence of something

stuff — a critically important or characteristic component; «suspense is the very stuff of narrative»
2. essence — any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted

substance — the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists; «DNA is the substance of our genes»
3. essence — the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work

gist, burden, effect, core

meaning, signification, import, significance — the message that is intended or expressed or signified; «what is the meaning of this sentence»; «the significance of a red traffic light»; «the signification of Chinese characters»; «the import of his announcement was ambiguous»
4. essence - a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odoressence — a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor

perfume

cologne water, eau de cologne, cologne — a perfumed liquid made of essential oils and alcohol

pachouli, patchouli, patchouly — a heavy perfume made from the patchouli plant

perfumery — perfumes in general

potpourri — a jar of mixed flower petals and spices used as perfume

rose water — perfume consisting of water scented with oil of roses

toilet articles, toiletry — artifacts used in making your toilet (washing and taking care of your body)

eau de toilette, toilet water — a perfumed liquid lighter than cologne

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

essence

noun

1. fundamental nature, nature, being, life, meaning, heart, spirit, principle, soul, core, substance, significance, entity, bottom line, essential part, kernel, crux, lifeblood, pith, quintessence, basic characteristic, quiddity Some claim that Ireland’s very essence is expressed through its language.

2. concentrate, spirits, extract, elixir, tincture, distillate Add a few drops of vanilla essence.

in essence essentially, materially, virtually, basically, fundamentally, in effect, substantially, in the main, to all intents and purposes, in substance In essence, we share the same ideology.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

essence

noun

1. A basic trait or set of traits that define and establish the character of something:

2. The most central and material part:

core, gist, heart, kernel, marrow, meat, nub, pith, quintessence, root, soul, spirit, stuff, substance.

The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Источник

Essence (Latin: essentia) is a polysemic term, that is, it may have significantly different meanings and uses. It is used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property or set of properties or attributes that make an entity or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it loses its identity. Essence is contrasted with accident: a property or attribute the entity or substance has contingently, without which the substance can still retain its identity.

The concept originates rigorously with Aristotle (although it can also be found in Plato),[1] who used the Greek expression to ti ên einai (τὸ τί ἦν εἶναι,[2] literally meaning «the what it was to be» and corresponding to the scholastic term quiddity) or sometimes the shorter phrase to ti esti (τὸ τί ἐστι,[3] literally meaning «the what it is» and corresponding to the scholastic term (haecceity(thisness) for the same idea. This phrase presented such difficulties for its Latin translators that they coined the word essentia (English «essence») to represent the whole expression. For Aristotle and his scholastic followers, the notion of essence is closely linked to that of definition (ὁρισμός horismos).[4]

In the history of Western philosophy, essence has often served as a vehicle for doctrines that tend to individuate different forms of existence as well as different identity conditions for objects and properties; in this logical meaning, the concept has given a strong theoretical and common-sense basis to the whole family of logical theories based on the «possible worlds» analogy set up by Leibniz and developed in the intensional logic from Carnap to Kripke, which was later challenged by «extensionalist» philosophers such as Quine.

EtymologyEdit

The English word essence comes from Latin essentia, via French essence. The original Latin word was created purposefully, by Ancient Roman philosophers, in order to provide an adequate Latin translation for the Greek term οὐσία (ousia). Stoic philosopher Seneca (d. 65 AD) attributed creation of the word to Cicero (d. 43 BC), while rhetor Quintilian (d. 100 AD) claimed that the word was created much earlier, by writer Plautus (184 BC). Early use of the term is also attested in works of Apuleius (d. 170 AD) and Tertullian (d. 240 AD). During Late Antiquity, the term was often used in Christian theology, and through the works of Augustine (d. 430), Boethius (d. 524) and later theologians, who wrote in Medieval Latin, it became the basis for consequent creation of derived terms in many languages.[5]

PhilosophyEdit

Ontological statusEdit

In his dialogues Plato suggests that concrete beings acquire their essence through their relations to «Forms»—abstract universals logically or ontologically separate from the objects of sense perception. These Forms are often put forth as the models or paradigms of which sensible things are «copies». When used in this sense, the word form is often capitalized.[6] Sensible bodies are in constant flux and imperfect and hence, by Plato’s reckoning, less real than the Forms which are eternal, unchanging and complete. Typical examples of Forms given by Plato are largeness, smallness, equality, unity, goodness, beauty and justice.

Aristotle moves the Forms of Plato to the nucleus of the individual thing, which is called ousia or substance. Essence is the ti of the thing, the to ti en einai. Essence corresponds to the ousia‘s definition; essence is a real and physical aspect of the ousia (Aristotle, Metaphysics, I).

According to nominalists (Roscelin of Compiègne, William of Ockham, Bernard of Chartres), universals aren’t concrete entities, just voice’s sounds; there are only individuals: «nam cum habeat eorum sententia nihil esse praeter individuum […]» (Roscelin, De gener. et spec., 524). Universals are words that can call to several individuals; for example the word «homo». Therefore, a universal is reduced to a sound’s emission (Roscelin, De generibus et speciebus).

John Locke distinguished between «real essences» and «nominal essences». Real essences are the thing(s) that makes a thing a thing, whereas nominal essences are our conception of what makes a thing a thing.[7]

According to Edmund Husserl essence is ideal. However, ideal means that essence is an intentional object of consciousness. Essence is interpreted as sense (E. Husserl, Ideas pertaining to a pure phenomenology and to a phenomenological philosophy, paragraphs 3 and 4).

ExistentialismEdit

Existentialism was coined by Jean-Paul Sartre’s endorsement of Martin Heidegger’s statement that for human beings «existence precedes essence.» In as much as «essence» is a cornerstone of all metaphysical philosophy and of Rationalism, Sartre’s statement was a repudiation of the philosophical system that had come before him (and, in particular, that of Husserl, Hegel, and Heidegger). Instead of «is-ness» generating «actuality,» he argued that existence and actuality come first, and the essence is derived afterward. For Kierkegaard, it is the individual person who is the supreme moral entity, and the personal, subjective aspects of human life that are the most important; also, for Kierkegaard all of this had religious implications.[8]

In metaphysicsEdit

«Essence,» in metaphysics, is often synonymous with the soul, and some existentialists argue that individuals gain their souls and spirits after they exist, that they develop their souls and spirits during their lifetimes. For Kierkegaard, however, the emphasis was upon essence as «nature.» For him, there is no such thing as «human nature» that determines how a human will behave or what a human will be. First, he or she exists, and then comes property. Jean-Paul Sartre’s more materialist and skeptical existentialism furthered this existentialist tenet by flatly refuting any metaphysical essence, any soul, and arguing instead that there is merely existence, with attributes as essence.

Thus, in existentialist discourse, essence can refer to:

  • physical aspect or property;
  • the ongoing being of a person (the character or internally determined goals); or
  • the infinite inbound within the human (which can be lost, can atrophy, or can be developed into an equal part with the finite), depending upon the type of existentialist discourse.

ReligionEdit

BuddhismEdit

Within the Madhyamaka school of Mahayana Buddhism, Candrakirti identifies the self as:

an essence of things that does not depend on others; it is an intrinsic nature. The non-existence of that is selflessness.

— Bodhisattvayogacaryācatuḥśatakaṭikā 256.1.7[9]

Buddhapālita adds, while commenting on Nagārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā,

What is the reality of things just as it is? It is the absence of essence. Unskilled persons whose eye of intelligence is obscured by the darkness of delusion conceive of an essence of things and then generate attachment and hostility with regard to them.

— Buddhapālita-mula-madhyamaka-vrtti, P5242, 73.5.6-74.1.2[9]

For the Madhyamaka Buddhists, ‘Emptiness’ (also known as Anatta or Anatman) is the strong assertion that:

  • all phenomena are empty of any essence;
  • anti-essentialism lies at the root of Buddhist praxis; and
  • it is the innate belief in essence that is considered to be an afflictive obscuration which serves as the root of all suffering.

However, the Madhyamaka also rejects the tenets of Idealism, Materialism or Nihilism; instead, the ideas of truth or existence, along with any assertions that depend upon them, are limited to their function within the contexts and conventions that assert them, possibly somewhat akin to Relativism or Pragmatism. For the Madhyamaka, replacement paradoxes such as Ship of Theseus are answered by stating that the Ship of Theseus remains so (within the conventions that assert it) until it ceases to function as the Ship of Theseus.

In Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamakakarika Chapter XV examines essence itself.

HinduismEdit

In understanding any individual personality, a distinction is made between one’s Swadharma (essence) and Swabhava (mental habits and conditionings of ego personality). Svabhava is the nature of a person, which is a result of his or her samskaras (impressions created in the mind due to one’s interaction with the external world). These samskaras create habits and mental models and those become our nature. While there is another kind of svabhava that is a pure internal quality – smarana – we are here focusing only on the svabhava that was created due to samskaras (because to discover the pure, internal svabhava and smarana, one should become aware of one’s samskaras and take control over them). Dharma is derived from the root dhr «to hold.» It is that which holds an entity together. That is, Dharma is that which gives integrity to an entity and holds the core quality and identity (essence), form and function of that entity. Dharma is also defined as righteousness and duty. To do one’s dharma is to be righteous, to do one’s dharma is to do one’s duty (express one’s essence).[10]

See alsoEdit

  • Avicenna
  • Essentialism
  • Hypokeimenon
  • Modal logic
  • Phenomenon
  • Physical ontology
  • Quintessence (element)
  • Smarana
  • Theory of forms
  • Transubstantiation

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ «The Internet Classics Archive | Euthyphro by Plato». classics.mit.edu. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  2. ^ Aristotle, Metaphysics, 1029b
  3. ^ Aristotle, Metaphysics, 1030a
  4. ^ S. Marc Cohen, «Aristotle’s Metaphysics», Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, accessed 20 April 2008.
  5. ^ Brown 1996, p. 275-276.
  6. ^ «Chapter 28: Form» of The Great Ideas: A Synopticon of Great Books of the Western World (Vol. II). Encyclopædia Britannica (1952), p. 526-542. This source states that Form or Idea get capitalized according to this convention when they refer «to that which is separate from the characteristics of material things and from the ideas in our mind.»
  7. ^ Locke on Real Essence. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2022.
  8. ^ The Story of Philosophy, Bryan Magee, Dorling Kindersley Lond. 1998, ISBN 0-7513-0590-1
  9. ^ a b Translations from «The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path of Enlightenment», Vol. 3 by Tsong-Kha-Pa, Snow Lion Publications ISBN 1-55939-166-9
  10. ^ Prasadkaipa.com

SourcesEdit

  • Athanasopoulos, Constantinos; Schneider, Christoph, eds. (2013). Divine Essence and Divine Energies: Ecumenical Reflections on the Presence of God. Cambridge, UK: James Clarke & Co. ISBN 9780227900086.
  • Aveling, Francis (1909). «Essence and Existence». The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  • Brown, Stephen F. (1996). «Theology and Philosophy». Medieval Latin: An Introduction and Bibliographical Guide. Washington, D.C.: CUA Press. pp. 267–287. ISBN 9780813208428.
  • Weedman, Mark (2007). The Trinitarian Theology of Hilary of Poitiers. Leiden-Boston: Brill. ISBN 978-9004162242.

External linksEdit

Wikiquote has quotations related to Essence.

  • Maurice De Wulf: «Nominalism, Realism, Conceptualism.», in: The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911.
  • Robertson, Teresa; Atkins, Philip. «Essential vs. Accidental Properties». In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Источник

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From French essence, from Latin essentia (“the being or essence of a thing”), from an artificial formation of esse (“to be”), to translate Ancient Greek οὐσία (ousía, “being”), from ὤν (ṓn), present participle of εἰμί (eimí, “I am, exist”).

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈɛsəns/
  • Rhymes: -ɛsəns

Noun[edit]

essence (countable and uncountable, plural essences)

  2. The inherent nature of a thing or idea.
    • 1713 September 21, Joseph Addison, The Guardian, collected in The Works of the Late Right Honorable Joseph Addison, volume IV, Birmingham: John Baskerville, published 1761, page 263:
      CHARITY is a virtue of the heart, and not of the hands, ſays an old writer. Gifts and alms are the expreſſions, not the eſſence of this virtue.

    • 1824, Walter Savage Landor, “Oliver Cromwel and Walter Noble”, in Imaginary Conversations, volume I, 2nd edition, London: Henry Colburn, published 1826, page 105:

      They [the laws] are at present, both in form and essence, the greatest curse that society labours under ; the scorn of the wicked, the consternation of the good, the refuge of those who violate, and the ruin of those who appeal to them.

  3. (philosophy) The true nature of anything, not accidental or illusory.
  4. Constituent substance.

    • 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 423–429:

      For Spirits when they pleaſe / Can either Sex aſſume, or both ; ſo ſoft / And uncompounded is their Eſſence pure, / Not ti’d or manacl’d with joynt or limb, / Nor founded on the brittle ſtrength of bones, / Like cumbrous fleſh […]

  5. A being; especially, a purely spiritual being.

    • 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 132–139:

      And put to proof his high Supremacy, / Whether upheld by ſtrength, or Chance, or Fate, / Too well I ſee and rue the dire event, / That with ſad overthrow and foul defeat / Hath loſt us Heav’n, and all this mighty Hoſt / In horrible deſtruction laid thus low, / As far as Gods and Heav’nly Eſſences / Can Periſh.

    • 1824, Washington Irving, “The Adventure of the German Student”, in The Works of Washington Irving, volume VII, new edition, New York: G. P. Putnam & Company, published 1853, page 55:

      He [Gottfried Wolfgang] had been indulging in fanciful speculations on spiritual essences, until, like Swedenborg, he had an ideal world of his own around him.

  6. A significant feature of something.
    (Can we add an example for this sense?)
  7. The concentrated form of a plant or drug obtained through a distillation process.

    essence of Jojoba

  8. An extract or concentrate obtained from a plant or other matter used for flavouring, or as a restorative.

    • 1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 150:

      There was no one to cook the necessary food that the invalids required to pick up their strength; no fowls to be bought, to make into the essence that is so generally given to fever patients wherever I have been since.

    vanilla essence

  9. Fragrance, a perfume.

    • 1712, Alexander Pope, “The Rape of the Lock”, in The Beauties of Pope, London: G. Kearsley, published 1783, page 36:

      Our humbler province is to tend the Fair, / Not a leſs pleaſing, tho’ leſs glorious care ; / To ſave the powder from too rude a gale, / Nor let th’ impriſon’d eſſences exhale […]

Synonyms[edit]

  • (inherent nature): quintessence, whatness; See also Thesaurus:essence
  • (significant feature): gist, crux; See also Thesaurus:gist
  • (fragrance): aroma, bouquet; See also Thesaurus:aroma

Derived terms[edit]

  • in essence
  • k-essence
  • of the essence; time is of the essence
  • vanilla essence

[edit]

  • essential
  • essentially
  • essentialism
  • quintessential

Translations[edit]

inherent nature

  • Arabic: جَوْهَر‎ (ar) m (jawhar)
  • Armenian: էություն (hy) (ēutʿyun)
  • Azerbaijani: cövhər, mahiyyət
  • Belarusian: су́тнасць f (sútnascʹ), суць f (sucʹ)
  • Bulgarian: съ́щност (bg) f (sǎ́štnost)
  • Catalan: bessó (ca) m
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: 本質／本质 (zh) (běnzhì, běnzhí)
  • Czech: esence f
  • Danish: essens c
  • Dutch: essentie (nl)
  • Esperanto: esenco (eo)
  • Estonian: olemus
  • Finnish: olemus (fi), perusolemus, villakoiran ydin
  • French: essence (fr) f
  • Galician: celme (gl) m, esencia f
  • Georgian: არსი (arsi), დედაარსი (dedaarsi), რაობა (raoba)
  • German: Wesen (de) n
  • Gothic: 𐍅𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃 f (wists)
  • Greek:
    Ancient: οὐσία f (ousía)
  • Hebrew: מַהוּת‎ f (mahút)
  • Hindi: ज़ात (hi) f (zāt)
  • Hungarian: lényeg (hu)
  • Indonesian: esensi (id), hakikat (id)
  • Irish: garr m
  • Italian: essenza (it) f
  • Japanese: 本質 (ja) (ほんしつ, honshitsu)
  • Kazakh: маңыз (mañyz), мән (män), мазмұн (mazmūn)
  • Korean: 본질(本質) (ko) (bonjil)
  • Latin: essentia f
  • Macedonian: су́штина f (súština)
  • Maltese: essenza f
  • Maori: tino (mi), ngako
  • Mongolian: мөн чанар (mön čanar)
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: essens m
    Nynorsk: essens m
  • Occitan: esséncia (oc) f
  • Persian: جوهر‎ (fa) (jowhar)
  • Polish: esencja (pl) f
  • Portuguese: essência (pt) f
  • Russian: су́щность (ru) f (súščnostʹ), суть (ru) f (sutʹ)
  • Sanskrit: धर्मता (sa) f (dharmatā)
  • Serbo-Croatian:
    Cyrillic: би̑т m, суштѝна f (Serbian)
    Roman: bȋt (sh) m, suštìna (sh) f (Serbian)
  • Slovak: esencia f, podstata
  • Slovene: bistvo n
  • Spanish: esencia (es) f
  • Swedish: essens (sv) c
  • Tajik: ҷавҳар (javhar)
  • Turkish: cevher (tr)
  • Ukrainian: су́тність f (sútnistʹ), суть f (sutʹ)
  • Uzbek: mohiyat (uz)
  • Vietnamese: bản chất (vi) (本質)
  • Welsh: rhin f

significant feature

  • Finnish: tärkeä piirre, tuntomerkki (fi)
  • Galician: esencia f
  • German: Essenz (de) f, Wesen (de) n
  • Italian: essenza (it) f
  • Russian: ва́жная черта́ f (vážnaja čertá)
  • Spanish: esencia (es) f

concentrate

  • Bulgarian: есе́нция (bg) f (eséncija), екстра́кт (bg) m (ekstrákt)
  • Chinese:
    Cantonese: 精 (zing1)
    Mandarin: 精 (zh) (jīng)
  • Danish: essens c, koncentrat n
  • Dutch: essence (nl), aftreksel (nl)
  • Finnish: esanssi (fi)
  • Galician: esencia f
  • German: Essenz (de) f, Extrakt (de) m
  • Hebrew: תַּמְצִית‎ (he) f (tamtzít)
  • Hungarian: kivonat (hu), eszencia (hu)
  • Italian: essenza (it) f
  • Macedonian: екстра́кт m (ekstrákt), концентра́т m (koncentrát)
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: essens m
    Nynorsk: essens m
  • Portuguese: essência (pt) f
  • Russian: эссе́нция (ru) f (essɛ́ncija), концентра́т (ru) m (koncentrát), экстра́кт (ru) m (ekstrákt)
  • Serbo-Croatian:
    Cyrillic: есѐнција f
    Roman: esèncija (sh) f
  • Slovak: esencia, extrakt
  • Slovene: esenca f
  • Spanish: esencia (es) f, extracto (es) m

fragrance

  • Bulgarian: парфю́м (bg) m (parfjúm), арома́т (bg) m (aromát)
  • Dutch: parfum (nl) m or n
  • Galician: esencia f
  • Georgian: სურნელება (surneleba)
  • German: Essenz (de) f, Parfüm (de) n
  • Hebrew: ניחוח‎ (he) m (nikhó`akh), בושם‎ (he) m (bósem)
  • Macedonian: парфе́м m (parfém), аро́ма f (aróma)
  • Maori: waitāwhara (for flavouring food)
  • Portuguese: essência (pt) f, fragrância (pt) f
  • Russian: арома́т (ru) m (aromát)
  • Slovene: esenca f
  • Spanish: esencia (es) f
  • Turkish: esans (tr)

true nature of something

  • Belarusian: су́тнасць f (sútnascʹ)
  • Bulgarian: съ́щина (bg) f (sǎ́ština), същество́ (bg) n (sǎštestvó)
  • Catalan: bessó (ca) m
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: 本質／本质 (zh) (běnzhì, běnzhí)
  • Czech: esence
  • Dutch: wezen (nl) n
  • Finnish: perusolemus
  • French: essence (fr) f
  • Galician: esencia f
  • German: Wesen (de) n
  • Hebrew: מַהוּת‎ f (mahút)
  • Italian: essenza (it) f
  • Japanese: 本質 (ja) (ほんしつ, honshitsu)
  • Korean: 본질 (ko) (bonjil)
  • Latin: essentia f
  • Macedonian: су́штина f (súština)
  • Maltese: essenza f
  • Mongolian: мөн чанар (mön čanar)
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: essens m
    Nynorsk: essens m
  • Portuguese: essência (pt) f
  • Russian: су́щность (ru) f (súščnostʹ), существо́ (ru) n (suščestvó)
  • Slovak: esencia
  • Slovene: bistvo n
  • Spanish: esencia (es) f
  • Ukrainian: су́тність f (sútnistʹ)
  • Vietnamese: bản chất (vi)
  • Welsh: rhin f
  • Yiddish: תּוך‎ m (tokh)

Further reading[edit]

  • essence in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • “essence”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams[edit]

  • senesce

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old French, from Latin essentia. Sense 2 very likely from Latin edō (“eat”), in the sense of ‘what is eaten, fuel’. Many forms of the latter are indistinguishable from the former, and so the confusion with essence is very understandable.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /e.sɑ̃s/, /ɛ.sɑ̃s/

Noun[edit]

essence f (plural essences)

  1. (philosophy, theology) essence
  2. petrol, gasoline
  3. essence, essential oil

Derived terms[edit]

  • pompe à essence
  • poste d’essence
  • station essence

Descendants[edit]

  • → Dutch: essence
  • → Finnish: esanssi
  • → Romanian: esență
  • → Turkish: esans
  • → Vietnamese: ét-xăng

Further reading[edit]

  • “essence”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams[edit]

  • censées
Источник

  • 1
    essence

    1) су́щность, существо́;

    2) экстра́кт, эссе́нция

    3) арома́т

    Англо-русский словарь Мюллера > essence

  • 2
    essence

    Персональный Сократ > essence

  • 3
    essence

    essence 1. субстанция; 2. сущность; 3. отличительный признак

    English-Russian dictionary of biology and biotechnology > essence

  • 4
    essence

    [ˈesns]

    essence аромат essence авто бензин essence уст. духи essence существо essence существование essence сущность, существо; in essence по существу; of the essence существенно essence сущность essence экстракт, эссенция essence сущность, существо; in essence по существу; of the essence существенно essence сущность, существо; in essence по существу; of the essence существенно

    English-Russian short dictionary > essence

  • 5
    essence

    ˈesns сущ.
    1) существо, сущность the essence of life ≈ сущность жизни The essence of consultation is to listen to, and take account of, the views of those consulted. ≈ Существо консультации заключается в выслушивании и принятии во внимание мнения консультирующего. Others claim that Ireland’s very essence is expressed through the language. ≈ Другие утверждают, что самая сущность Ирландии проявляется в ее языке. in essence of the essence the very essence Syn: entity
    2) существование Syn: existence, entity
    3) экстракт, эссенция exotic bath essences ≈ экзотический экстракт для ванн
    4) квинтэссенция She was the essence of punctuality. ≈ Она была верхом пунктуальности. It was a perfect love-letter, that is to say, it was the essence of nonsense. ≈ Это было совершенное любовное письмо, так сказать, чистейшая чепуха.
    5) аромат;
    уст. духи Syn: odor, perfume
    1.
    сущность, существо — in * по существу, в сущности — the * of the proposal существо предложения — * of crime сущность преступления — to be of the * быть существенно важным, относиться к существу дела( философское) сущность (философское) субстанция — fifth * пятый элемент, пятая стихия, основная сущность вещей, квинтэссенция ( у древних греков) квинтэссенция;
    верх (чего-либо) — the * of nonsense сущий вздор, полная бессмыслица эссенция;
    экстракт — meat * мясной экстракт — pear * грушевая эссенция существо, создание — heavenly *s небесные создания, духи небес духи;
    аромат спиртовой раствор летучее масло, эфирное масло( автомобильное) (профессионализм) бензин
    essence аромат ~ авто бензин ~ уст. духи ~ существо ~ существование ~ сущность, существо;
    in essence по существу;
    of the essence существенно ~ сущность ~ экстракт, эссенция
    ~ сущность, существо;
    in essence по существу;
    of the essence существенно
    ~ сущность, существо;
    in essence по существу;
    of the essence существенно

    Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > essence

  • 6
    essence

    1. n сущность, существо

    2. n филос. субстанция

    fifth essence — пятый элемент, пятая стихия, основная сущность вещей, квинтэссенция

    3. n филос. квинтэссенция; верх

    4. n филос. эссенция; экстракт

    5. n филос. существо, создание

    6. n филос. духи; аромат

    7. n филос. спиртовой раствор

    8. n филос. летучее масло, эфирное масло

    9. n филос. авт. проф. бензин

    Синонимический ряд:

    3. distilled spirits (noun) alcohol; distillated spirits; distillation; distilled spirits; juice; liquor; spirit; spirits

    4. heart (noun) basic nature; basis; be-all and end-all; being; bottom; core; essentia; essential quality; essentiality; gist; heart; kernel; marrow; meat; nature; nub; pith; principle; quintessence; quintessential; rock bottom; root; soul; stuff; substance; sum and substance; texture; virtuality

    English-Russian base dictionary > essence

  • 7
    essence

    [ʹes(ə)ns]

    1. сущность, существо

    in essence — по существу, в сущности

    essence of crime — сущность /существенное качество/ преступления

    to be of the essence — быть существенно важным, относиться к существу дела

    1) сущность

    2) субстанция

    fifth essence — пятый элемент, пятая стихия, основная сущность вещей, квинтэссенция ()

    3. квинтэссенция; верх ()

    the essence of nonsense — сущий вздор, полная бессмыслица

    4. эссенция; экстракт

    5. существо, создание

    heavenly essences — небесные создания, духи небес

    6. духи; аромат

    7. 1) спиртовой раствор

    2) летучее масло, эфирное масло

    НБАРС > essence

  • 8
    essence

    [‘es(ə)n(t)s]

    сущ.

    1) существо, сущность

    The essence of consultation is to listen to, and take account of, the views of those consulted. — Суть консультации заключается в выслушивании и принятии во внимание мнения консультируемых.

    Others consider that Ireland’s very essence is expressed through the language. — Некоторые утверждают, что самая сущность Ирландии проявляется в её языке.


    — of the essence
    — the very essence

    Syn:

    Syn:

    3) экстракт, эссенция

    She was the essence of punctuality. — Она была сама пунктуальность.

    It was a perfect love-letter, that is to say, it was the essence of nonsense. — Это было самое настоящее любовное письмо, иными словами, — полнейшая чепуха.

    5) аромат; духи

    Syn:

    Англо-русский современный словарь > essence

  • 9
    essence

    Англо-русский синонимический словарь > essence

  • 10
    essence

    n

    1) сущность, существо; суть

    2)

    филос.

    сущность; субстрат

    •

    English-russian dctionary of diplomacy > essence

  • 11
    essence

    English-Russian big polytechnic dictionary > essence

  • 12
    essence

    English-Russian big medical dictionary > essence

  • 13
    essence

    Patent terms dictionary > essence

  • 14
    essence

    Англо-русский словарь технических терминов > essence

  • 15
    essence

    Англо-русский технический словарь > essence

  • 16
    essence

    n

    сущность; существо; суть

    to conceal / to veil the essence — скрывать сущность


    — in essence

    Politics english-russian dictionary > essence

  • 17
    essence

    noun

    1) сущность, существо; in essence по существу; of the essence существенно

    2) существование

    3) экстракт, эссенция

    5) аромат

    * * *

    (n) суть; существо; сущность

    * * *

    сущность, существо; эссенция

    * * *

    [es·sence || ‘esns]
    сущность, существо; эссенция, экстракт; духи, аромат; бензин

    * * *

    аромат

    суть

    существо

    существование

    сущность

    экстракт

    эссенция

    * * *

    1) существо
    2) существование
    3) экстракт

    Новый англо-русский словарь > essence

  • 18
    essence

    English-russian dctionary of contemporary Economics > essence

  • 19
    essence

    1. эфирное масло

    2. отдушивать

    The English-Russian dictionary general scientific > essence

  • 20
    essence

    [‘es(ə)ns]

    1) Общая лексика: аромат, бензин, суть, существо , существование, сущность, экстракт, эссенция, духи, существенные условия , смысл , квинтэссенция

    5) Сельское хозяйство: отдушка

    8) Дипломатический термин: субстрат

    Универсальный англо-русский словарь > essence

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См. также в других словарях:

  • essence — [ esɑ̃s ] n. f. • 1130; lat. philos. essentia I ♦ Philos. Ce qui constitue la nature d un être. 1 ♦ Philos. (opposé à accident) Fond de l être, nature intime des choses. ⇒ nature, substance. L essence des choses. L essence humaine. « Nous ne… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Essence — Es sence, n. [F. essence, L. essentia, formed as if fr. a p. pr. of esse to be. See {Is}, and cf. {Entity}.] 1. The constituent elementary notions which constitute a complex notion, and must be enumerated to define it; sometimes called the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • essence — es·sence / es əns/ n 1: the real or ultimate nature of a thing: the properties that make a thing what it is his award is legitimate only so long as it draws its essence from the collective bargaining agreement United Steel Workers v. Enterprise… …   Law dictionary

  • essence — Essence. s. f. v. Ce par quoy la chose est ce qu elle est, ce qui constituë la chose. L essence divine. l essence des choses. l essence de l homme est d estre animal raisonnable. ces paroles sont de l essence du sacrement. Essence, signifie parmi …   Dictionnaire de l’Académie française

  • essence — ► NOUN 1) the intrinsic nature of something; the quality which determines something s character. 2) an extract or concentrate obtained from a plant or other substance and used for flavouring or scent. ● in essence Cf. ↑in essence ● of the essence …   English terms dictionary

  • essence — late 14c., essencia (respelled late 15c. on French model), from L. essentia being, essence, abstract noun formed in imitation of Gk. ousia being, essence (from on, gen. ontos, prp. of einai to be ), from essent , prp. stem of esse to be, from PIE …   Etymology dictionary

  • essence — [es′əns] n. [ME < OFr & L essentia < esse, to be: for IE base see IS1] 1. something that is, or exists; entity 2. that which makes something what it is; intrinsic, fundamental nature or most important quality (of something); essential being …   English World dictionary

  • essence — [n1] heart, significance aspect, attribute, backbone, base, basis, be all and endall*, being, bottom, bottom line*, burden, caliber, character, chief constituent, constitution, core, crux, element, entity, essentia, essentiality, fiber, form,… …   New thesaurus

  • Essence — Es sence, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Essenced}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Essencing}.] To perfume; to scent. Essenced fops. Addison. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Essence — (fr., spr. Essangs), so v.w. Essenz, s.d.; z.B. E. de Mirhane, s.u. Bittermandelöl. E. d Orient (spr. Essangs d Oriang), ein in Chalons fur Saȏne fabricirter Perlenglanz zu Glasperlen …   Pierer’s Universal-Lexikon

  • Essence — (franz., spr. āngß ), Essenz (s.d.); E. d Orient, E. de perles, soviel wie Perlenessenz; E. de Mirbane, s. Nitrobenzol …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

Источник

Other forms: essences

Essence is whatever most sums up the heart and soul of something, its truest most indispensable qualities. The essence of Las Vegas is poker chips and dreams; the essence of Johnny Cash is black clothing and country music.

Essence can be a physical detail, or, just as commonly, the abstract idea or meaning of something. The essence of Lady Chatterly’s Lover might be its revolutionary eroticism, or the essence of religion its devotion to God. Essence can also mean the concentrate obtained from a flower or plant for flavoring. If you’ve chewed strawberry-flavored bubblegum you’re probably amazed at how it truly is the very essence of strawberries.

Definitions of essence

  1. noun

    the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience

    synonyms:

    center, centre, core, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, kernel, marrow, meat, nitty-gritty, nub, pith, substance, sum

  2. noun

    the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work

  3. noun

    any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted

  4. noun

    a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘essence’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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Источник

Britannica Dictionary definition of ESSENCE

1 

[singular]

:

the basic nature of a thing

:

the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is

  • The essence of love is unselfishness.

  • The book’s illustrations capture the essence of the story.

  • Competition is the (very) essence of capitalism.

2 

[noncount]

:

a substance that contains in very strong form the special qualities (such as the taste and smell) of the thing from which it is taken

  • essence of peppermint/lemon

in essence

:

at the most basic level

  • He was in essence [=basically, essentially, fundamentally] an honest person.

  • In essence, I believe that a real solution is not possible.

of the essence

:

of the greatest importance

  • Time/speed is of the essence when dealing with a medical emergency.

Источник

сущность, существо, эссенция, экстракт, аромат, существование, бензин, духи

существительное ↓

- сущность, существо

in essence — по существу, в сущности 
the essence of the proposal — существо предложения 
essence of crime — сущность /существенное качество/ преступления 
to be of the essence — быть существенно важным, относиться к существу дела 

- сущность
- субстанция

fifth essence — пятый элемент, пятая стихия, основная сущность вещей, квинтэссенция (у древних греков) 

- квинтэссенция; верх (чего-л.)

the essence of nonsense — сущий вздор, полная бессмыслица 

- эссенция; экстракт

meat essence — мясной экстракт 
pear essence — грушевая эссенция 

- существо, создание

heavenly essences — небесные создания, духи небес 

- духи; аромат
- спиртовой раствор
- летучее масло, эфирное масло
- авт. проф. бензин

Мои примеры

Словосочетания

service that is the essence of swank: the waiters pull out your chair for you and even place your napkin on your lap — обслуживание, которое представляет собой самую суть изысканности: официанты отодвигают вам стул и даже кладут вам на колени салфетку  
the essence of life — сущность жизни  
intimate essence of matter — внутренняя суть проблемы  
the very essence — самая суть  
essence of contract — существенные условия договора  
artificial essence of bitter almonds — бензальдегид  
citrus essence — цитрусовая эссенция  
coffee essence — кофейная эссенция  
conceal the class essence — скрывать классовую сущность  
essence of pig-shit — похотливая женщина  
veil the essence — скрывать сущность  

Примеры с переводом

In essence his message was very simple. 

В сущности, его послание было очень простым.

She was the essence of punctuality. 

Она была сама пунктуальность.

The essence of love is unselfishness. 

В сущности, любовь — это отсутствие эгоизма.

It was a perfect love-letter, that is to say, it was the essence of nonsense. 

Это было самое настоящее любовное письмо, иными словами, — полнейшая чепуха.

She seems the very essence of kindness (=she seems very kind). 

Она кажется воплощением доброты (т.е. она кажется очень доброй).

Others consider that Ireland’s very essence is expressed through the language. 

Некоторые утверждают, что самая сущность Ирландии проявляется в её языке.

But it is line, always line, not harmony, that is the essence of the matter. 

Но именно мелодическая линия, именно мелодия, а не гармония составляет самое существенное.

The book’s illustrations capture the essence of the story. 

Иллюстрации к данной книге отражают суть её сюжета.

Good communications are of the essence to remain competitive. 

Хорошие связи очень важны для того, чтобы оставаться конкурентоспособными.

Real definition provides a statement of the nature or essence of a thing. 

Реальное определение описывает предмет через его существенные свойства.

The essence of Arsenal’s style of football was speed. 

Сутью футбольного стиля «Арсенала» была скорость.

These photographs capture the essence of working-class life at the turn of the century. 

На этих фотографиях запечатлена суть жизни рабочего класса на рубеже веков.

Формы слова

noun
ед. ч.(singular): essence
мн. ч.(plural): essences

Источник

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Let me go over this again on the reclaiming the civil rights movement. People of faith that believe that you have an equal right to justice — that is the essence. And if it’s not the essence, then we’ve been sold a pack of lies. The essence is everyone deserves a shot — the content of character, not the color of skin.

Glenn Beck

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ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD ESSENCE

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

info

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

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PRONUNCIATION OF ESSENCE

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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF ESSENCE

Essence is a noun.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES ESSENCE MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Essence

In philosophy, essence is the attribute or set of attributes that make an entity or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it loses its identity. Essence is contrasted with accident: a property that the entity or substance has contingently, without which the substance can still retain its identity. The concept originates with Aristotle, who used the Greek expression to ti ên einai or sometimes the shorter phrase to ti esti for the same idea. This phrase presented such difficulties for his Latin translators that they coined the word essentia to represent the whole expression. For Aristotle and his scholastic followers, the notion of essence is closely linked to that of definition. In the history of western thought, essence has often served as a vehicle for doctrines that tend to individuate different forms of existence as well as different identity conditions for objects and properties; in this eminently…


Definition of essence in the English dictionary

The first definition of essence in the dictionary is the characteristic or intrinsic feature of a thing, which determines its identity; fundamental nature. Other definition of essence is the most distinctive element of a thing. Essence is also a perfect or complete form of something, esp a person who typifies an abstract quality.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH ESSENCE

Synonyms and antonyms of essence in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS OF «ESSENCE»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «essence» and belong to the same grammatical category.

Translation of «essence» into 25 languages

online translator

TRANSLATION OF ESSENCE

Find out the translation of essence to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of essence from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «essence» in English.

Translator English — Chinese


本质

1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English — Spanish


esencia

570 millions of speakers

English


essence

510 millions of speakers

Translator English — Hindi


सार

380 millions of speakers

Translator English — Arabic


جوهر

280 millions of speakers

Translator English — Russian


суть

278 millions of speakers

Translator English — Portuguese


essência

270 millions of speakers

Translator English — Bengali


সারাংশ

260 millions of speakers

Translator English — French


essence

220 millions of speakers

Translator English — Malay


Intipati

190 millions of speakers

Translator English — German


Wesen

180 millions of speakers

Translator English — Japanese


本質

130 millions of speakers

Translator English — Korean


본질

85 millions of speakers

Translator English — Javanese


Dhasar

85 millions of speakers

Translator English — Vietnamese


bản chất

80 millions of speakers

Translator English — Tamil


சாரம்

75 millions of speakers

Translator English — Marathi


सार

75 millions of speakers

Translator English — Turkish


öz

70 millions of speakers

Translator English — Italian


essenza

65 millions of speakers

Translator English — Polish


istotą

50 millions of speakers

Translator English — Ukrainian


суть

40 millions of speakers

Translator English — Romanian


esență

30 millions of speakers

Translator English — Greek


ουσία

15 millions of speakers

Translator English — Afrikaans


wese

14 millions of speakers

Translator English — Swedish


essens

10 millions of speakers

Translator English — Norwegian


essens

5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of essence

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «ESSENCE»

The term «essence» is very widely used and occupies the 7.529 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.

Trends

FREQUENCY

Very widely used

The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «essence» in the different countries.

Principal search tendencies and common uses of essence

List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «essence».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «ESSENCE» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «essence» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «essence» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about essence

10 QUOTES WITH «ESSENCE»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word essence.

Freedom of expression — in particular, freedom of the press — guarantees popular participation in the decisions and actions of government, and popular participation is the essence of our democracy.

The energy of the mind is the essence of life.

For a selfie, it’s not about the pose, it’s about you. There’s a reason why you look great in the picture or you look great in real life, because someone has caught the essence of who you are, and a pose is not you.

Let me go over this again on the reclaiming the civil rights movement. People of faith that believe that you have an equal right to justice — that is the essence. And if it’s not the essence, then we’ve been sold a pack of lies. The essence is everyone deserves a shot — the content of character, not the color of skin.

Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion.

The essence of the Way is detachment.

Performance art is the ultimate in creativity. Since it has so many possibilities at creativity, it’s essence tends to become creativity.

It is better to create than to learn! Creating is the essence of life.

Every act of rebellion expresses a nostalgia for innocence and an appeal to the essence of being.

Advertising is the very essence of democracy.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «ESSENCE»

Discover the use of essence in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to essence and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

1

The Essence of Shinto: Japan’s Spiritual Heart

In this book, revered Shinto master Motohisa Yamakage explains the core values of Japan’s unique religion, paying particular attention to its spiritual aspects, as well as exploring the very profound roots of the original Shinto of ancient …

基央·山蔭, Paul de Leeuw, Aidan Rankin, 2006

2

Aristotle on Meaning and Essence

David Charles presents a study of Aristotle’s views on meaning, essence, necessity, and related topics.

3

Essence and Alchemy: A Book of Perfume

Essence and Alchemy resurrects the social and metaphysical legacy that is entwined with the evolution of perfumery, from the dramas of the spice trade to the quests of the alchemists to whom today’s perfumers owe a philosophical as well as …

4

The Essence of Okinawan Karate-Do

An unusual reference incorporating Shoshin Nagamine’s stunning martial arts capability with non-violence and spiritual peace

5

The Essence of Brazilian Percussion and Drum Set: With …

A study of the language of Brazilian rhythms and song styles.

6

Essence With the Elixir of Enlightenment: The Diamond …

Essence has been combined with The Elixir of Enlightenment, a short introductory text directed toward students on the path who are frustrated by either the spiritual or psychological barriers that Western life can present.

7

A Woman of Essence: A Christian Guide to Godly Relationships …

With this spiritual self-help guide, you can transform your love life and break the barriers of dysfunctional relationships through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Cynthia Smalls-Purdie, 2006

8

Otherwise Than Being or Beyond Essence

A sequel to Levinas’ Totality and Infinity.

9

The Essence of Leadership: The Four Keys to Leading Successfully

Examines the style and methods of corporate giants.

10

Care: The Essence of Nursing and Health

Die Beiträge der Aufsatzsammlung versuchen auf theoretischer und auch auf praktischer Ebene das Konzept des «caring» (Care = umfassende oder auch ganzheitliche Pflege im Gegensatz zur medizinischen Assistenz) als notwendigen Bestandteil …

Madeleine M. Leininger, 1988

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «ESSENCE»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term essence is used in the context of the following news items.

ESSENCE Apologizes to Missy Elliott

During her July 4 performance on the main stage at ESSENCE Festival, beloved hip-hop star Missy Elliott had the Superdome crowd on its feet … «Essence.com, Jul 15»

Halo 5: has the thirst for volume diluted the essence?

Halo 5: has the thirst for volume diluted the essence? Thursday, 9 July 2015 11:49 GMT By Patrick Garratt. Share on: Facebook · Twitter · Reddit · Google+. «VG247, Jul 15»

Ma$e Closes Essence Festival Performance ‘in Jesus’ Name:’ ‘If I …

«I believe I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior,» Betha said, according to Essence. «If I die tonight, I know I’m right. I’m blessed. «Christian Post, Jul 15»

ESSENCE Poll: Is It Challenging to Find Foundation That Matches …

The 25-year-old model took to Instagram on Monday to speak her mind about makeup artists that don’t carry her shade of foundation, Clutch … «Essence.com, Jul 15»

Afro-Latino Festival Celebrates the Essence of Afrolatinidad

With Que Bajo?!, DJs and producers Geko Jones and Uproot Andy have been holding it down for the Latin side of the global bass movement in … «Village Voice, Jul 15»

WATCH: The Kim Burrell All-Star Tribute at Essence Music Festival …

kim-burrell *The tribute to Kim Burrell during the 2015 Essence Festival has officially been deemed as one of the most talked about events this … «Eurweb.com, Jul 15»

Erykah Badu Regally Owns the August Global Issue Cover of …

Grammy Award-winning artist Erykah Badu couldn’t contain her glee when she unveiled her latest cover of ESSENCE magazine during the … «Essence.com, Jul 15»

ESSENCE Poll: Do You Feel Comfortable in a Bikini?

YouTube blogger Loey Lane recently took to her channel to combat commenters that shame her for flaunting her curves, reports Cosmopolitan. «Essence.com, Jul 15»

Lynn Whitfield Dishes on Life, Beauty and SPF

Silverscreen sensation, Lynn Whitfield, attended this year’s Essence Music Festival and filled us in on the secret to her gorgeous complexion. «Essence.com, Jul 15»

2015 Essence Festival Draws Nearly 500000 Attendees, Thousands …

2015-essence-festival-logo-1 *The 2015 Essence Festival emerged as a confirmed success with nearly 500,000 people who were on hand to … «Eurweb.com, Jul 15»

REFERENCE

« EDUCALINGO. Essence [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/essence>. Apr 2023 ».

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Источник

What does the word essence mean?

According to the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language as well as other dictionaries like Collins English Dictionary and American Heritage, the word essence is a noun that refers to the individual or ultimate nature of something as opposed to its existence. This could be the most significant element, quality, or aspect of some person or thing, or someone that possesses or exhibits said quality in abundance, like a concentrate. The word essence implies an essential part and unchanging nature of a thing or person, a vital part of some idea or immaterial entity, or the predominant qualities or central meaning of someone or something. These indispensable qualities never change. The word essence is also used to refer to oils or constituents that are derived from a plant, such as an essential oil, infusion, scent, odor or perfume. Essences like a French essence take the predominant qualities of a plant and complete a distillation process to break this down to its true substance. This natural product can be used for scent or flavour. You may hear the word essence in the phrases in essence or of the essence. Essence is discussed in literary work and theology by Aristotle. The pronunciation of essence is ˈɛsəns. The adjective form of essence is essential.

Many different languages also contain words that mean essence. You may notice that some of these words look and sound similar to the word essence. These are called cognates, which are usually formed when two words have the same root or language of origin. This list of translations of essence is provided by Word Sense.

  •  Swahili: mchakato‎
  •  Italian: essenza‎ (fem.)
  •  Czech: esence‎ (fem.)
  •  Estonian: olemus‎
  •  Roman: bit‎ (fem.), suština‎ (fem.)
  •  Cyrillic: бит‎ (masc.), суштина‎ (fem.)
  •  Uzbek: mohiyat‎
  •  Hungarian: lényeg‎
  •  Japanese: 本質‎ (ほんしつ, honshitsu)
  •  Danish: essens‎ (common)
  •  Dutch: essentie‎
  •  Ukrainian: су́тність‎ (fem.), суть‎ (fem.)
  •  Maori: tino‎
  •  Azeri: cövhər‎, mahiyyət‎
  •  Portuguese: essência‎ (fem.)
  •  Swedish: essens‎ (common)
  •  Macedonian: суштина‎ (fem.)
  •  Latin: substantia‎ (fem.)
  •  Polish: esencja‎ (fem.)
  •  Bulgarian: съ̀щност‎ (fem.)
  •  Russian: су́щность‎ (fem.), суть‎ (fem.)
  •  Armenian: էություն‎
  •  Turkish: cevher‎
  •  Hebrew: מַהוּת‎
  •  Mandarin: 本質‎, 本质‎ (běnzhì, běnzhí)
  •  Slovene: bistvo‎ (neut.)
  •  Georgian: არსი‎, დედაარსი‎, რაობა‎
  •  Slovak: esencia‎ (fem.)
  •  Sorani: جه‌وهه‌ر‎
  •  Belarusian: су́тнасць‎ (fem.), суць‎ (fem.)
  •  Tajik: ҷавҳар‎
  •  French: essence‎ (fem.)
  •  Persian: جوهر‎ (jowhar)
  •  Spanish: esencia‎ (fem.)
  •  Catalan: bessó‎ (masc.)
  •  German: Wesen‎ (neut.)
  •  Korean: 본질‎
  •  Maltese: essenza‎ (fem.)
  •  Vietnamese: bản chất‎
  •  Finnish: olemus‎, perusolemus‎, villakoiran ydin‎
  •  Arabic: جَوْهَر‎ (masc.)

How can the word essence be used in a sentence?

The word essence can be used in many different ways to refer to both the predominant properties of a plant or the inward nature or intrinsic nature of a thing or person. Below are examples of essence.

The chef put a few drops of vanilla essence into one of her famous elixirs. Not only did the foodstuff taste amazing, it had healing properties in the essences.

The speaker wanted to make sure his essence of hospitality and essence of gentility was coming across in his speech. He asked his wife to tell him what she thought the theme of a speech he was writing would be.

The nub of a story that the boy told only showed one perspective, but the essence of the story was the opposite, in actuality. 

What are synonyms and antonyms of essence?

There are many different words that a person can choose to use in place of the word essence. These are called synonyms, which have the same definition as another word or phrase. Learning synonyms is a great way to expand your English language vocabulary and avoid repeating yourself. This list of synonyms for the word essence is provided by Thesaurus. 

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

There are also a number of words that have the opposite meaning of essence. These opposite words are called antonyms. Learning antonyms is another quick and easy way to expand your vocabulary. This list of antonyms is also provided by Thesaurus.

  •  cover
  •  shell
  •  face
  •  external
  •  surface
  •  finish
  •  exteriority
  •  coating
  •  polish
  •  aspect
  •  superficies
  •  covering
  •  skin
  •  rind
  •  appearance
  •  outside
  •  facade
  •  superstratum
  •  exterior

What is the origin of the word essence?

According to Etymonline, the word essence has been used since the late 14th century in Middle English as essencia. It was later respelled in the late 15th century on the French model of differentia, from differēns, the present participle of differre. This word comes from the Latin essencia and Medieval Latin essentia, from the Greek ousiā/ousa or Greek ousia. This comes from the root essent or essēns, which is the present participle of the word esse, a Latin verb meaning to be, from the Proto-Indo-European root es meaning to be. Related words include essential. The word essence and essential were first used to describe a fragrance, perfume, or oil from plants in the 17th century.  

Overall, the word essence means an abundance of a quality or holding a quality to a high degree in its complete form. It is an invariable nature of a thing, and this unchangeable nature is inherent in the essence of a thing. It can also refer to a neutral product derived from something like the concentrated form of a plant or the alcoholic solution of an essential oil. This word comes from the Middle English essencia and Latin essentia, from the Ancient Greek οὐσία and Indo-European roots.

Sources:

  1. essence: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense 
  2. ESSENCE Synonyms: 75 Synonyms & Antonyms for ESSENCE | Thesaurus 
  3. EXTERIOR Synonyms: 44 Synonyms & Antonyms for EXTERIOR | Thesaurus 
  4. essence | Origin and meaning of essence | Online Etymology Dictionary 

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Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do’s and don’ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.

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