essence
pronunciation
How to pronounce essence in British English:
UK [ˈesns]
How to pronounce essence in American English:
US [ˈesns]
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- Noun:
- the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience
- any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted
- the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
- a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor
Word Origin
- essence
- essence: [14] Essence and its derivative essential [14] are the English descendants of the Latin verb ‘to be’, esse (which came ultimately from the Indo-European base *es- ‘be’, source also of English is). From it was formed the abstract noun essentia ‘being, existence’, acquired by English through Old French essence. In the adjective essential, the sense ‘absolutely necessary’ developed via ‘inherent’ and ‘indispensable’ in the 16th century.=> is
- essence (n.)
- late 14c., essencia (respelled late 15c. on French model), from Latin essentia "being, essence," abstract noun formed (to translate Greek ousia "being, essence") from essent-, present participle stem of esse "to be," from PIE *es- "to be" (cognates: Sanskrit asmi, Hittite eimi, Old Church Slavonic jesmi, Lithuanian esmi, Gothic imi, Old English eom "I am;" see be). Originally "substance of the Trinity;" the general sense of "basic element of anything" is first recorded in English 1650s, though this is the underlying notion of the first English use of essential. Meaning "ingredient which gives something its particular character" is from c. 1600, especially of distilled oils from plants (1650s), hence "fragrance, perfume" (17c.). In 19c. U.S., essence-peddler could mean "medical salesman" and "skunk."
Example
- 1. The essence of globalisation must be enforced co-operation .
- 2. The twisting of it to bring out its essence ?
- 3. They are in essence calling for market intervention to redress imbalances .
- 4. That is the essence of capitalism and uk banking needs more of that right now .
- 5. In essence , households , banks and the government have already spent some of their future earnings .