Essence Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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essence

[ˈɛs(ə)ns ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

the essence of beauty

the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, that determines its character

Synonyms

core, heart, quintessence, soul.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
essence	Used to describe the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something. Often in philosophical, abstract, or general discussions. The essence of freedom is the ability to make choices She captured the essence of the story in her painting
quintessence	Used to describe the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class. It sounds more formal and literary. She is the quintessence of elegance Love is the quintessence of life
core	Used to describe the central or most important part of something. Common in everyday language as well as technical discussions. The core of the earth is extremely hot At the core of all success is hard work and determination
heart	Often describes the most vital part of something, especially in emotional or metaphorical contexts. Can also refer to the central part of a physical object. At the heart of the matter lies a misunderstanding The heart of the machine needs to be repaired
soul	Often used to refer to the emotional or spiritual center of a person or thing. It can also be used metaphorically for the fundamental spirit or quality of something. Music is the soul of our culture He poured his soul into the project

Examples of usage

The essence of a good movie is a compelling storyline.
His paintings capture the essence of nature.
She distilled the essence of his argument.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

the essence of a perfume

a substance or extract that has concentrated natural flavor or scent

Synonyms

concentrate, essence oil, extract.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
essence	Use 'essence' when referring to the fundamental quality or nature of something. The essence of democracy is freedom and equality. Her speech captured the essence of the problem.
extract	Use 'extract' when referring to a substance made by extracting a part of raw material, often using physical or chemical processes. It can also refer to taking out important information from a text. Vanilla extract is commonly used in baking. She read an extract from his latest book.
essence oil	Use 'essence oil' or 'essential oil' when referring to a fragrant oil used in aromatherapy, perfumes, or flavoring derived from a plant or other source. Lavender essence oil is known for its calming effects. She bought some peppermint essence oil to relieve her headaches.
concentrate	Use 'concentrate' when referring to a solution or substance that has been made stronger by removing water or other diluting agents, or when encouraging someone to focus mentally. He added water to the orange juice concentrate. She needs to concentrate on her studies.

Examples of usage

She added a drop of essence to the dish.
The essence of lavender is commonly used in aromatherapy.

^{Context #3 | Noun}

the essence of a person

the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is

Synonyms

character, nature.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
essence	Used to describe the basic, most important quality of something that makes it what it is. The essence of the argument is fairness Love and compassion are the essence of his character
nature	Describes the inherent or essential qualities or attributes of something; often used to talk about the general traits of people or things. It's in her nature to be kind-hearted The nature of the problem is quite complex
character	Refers to the combination of qualities or features that distinguish one person, group, or thing from another. Her character is defined by honesty and integrity The novel's characters are complex and well-developed

Word

Description / Examples

essence

Used to describe the basic, most important quality of something that makes it what it is.

The essence of the argument is fairness
Love and compassion are the essence of his character

nature

Describes the inherent or essential qualities or attributes of something; often used to talk about the general traits of people or things.

It's in her nature to be kind-hearted
The nature of the problem is quite complex

character

Refers to the combination of qualities or features that distinguish one person, group, or thing from another.

Her character is defined by honesty and integrity
The novel's characters are complex and well-developed

Examples of usage

Her kindness was the essence of her character.
The essence of his personality shone through in his writing.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Science

In chemistry, 'essence' can refer to the concentrated extract of a substance, like essential oils which contain the core properties of plants.
The term is used in discussions about the essence of matter, focusing on what defines the identity of various substances.
In biology, 'essence' often relates to the intrinsic properties that make living organisms unique, such as DNA.

Literature

In literature, the essence of a character is often what defines their actions and decisions throughout the story.
Authors often seek to capture the essence of a culture or time period in their works to provide depth and realism.
Many poetry forms aim to distill emotions and themes down to their essence, creating powerful imagery with minimal words.

Philosophy

Philosophers like Aristotle discussed essence as the fundamental aspect that makes objects what they are.
The debate between essence and existence has shaped much of metaphysical thought, considering how and if essence precedes being.
In existential philosophy, the essence of being is sometimes seen as constructed rather than given, influencing ideas about identity.

Pop Culture

In movies and books, capturing the essence of a hero often involves showing their struggles and triumphs.
Beauty products often emphasize the 'essence' of natural ingredients to appeal to consumers seeking natural solutions.
Music often attempts to capture the essence of emotions, using melodies and rhythms to convey feeling.

Origin of 'essence'

Main points about word origin

This word comes from the Latin 'essentia', which means 'being' or 'existence'.
In ancient philosophy, essence was used to discuss what makes something what it is, beyond just its appearance.
The concept has been important in many philosophical debates throughout history, especially during the Middle Ages.

The word 'essence' originated from the Latin word 'essentia', which means 'being, essence', from 'essent-' (present participle stem of 'esse', 'to be'). The term has been used in English since the 14th century to refer to the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,843, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.

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3840 occasional
3841 insufficient
3842 tomorrow
3843 essence
3844 capability
3845 chemistry
3846 dreams
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