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essence

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Essence is defined as the core nature or most important qualities of a person or thing.

(noun)

An example of essence is what is captured of someone’s personality in a good photograph.

The definition of an essence is a concentrated form of a flavor or fragrance.

(noun)

An example of an essence is the scent of a tropical flower in a vial of oil.

See essence in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

something that is, or exists; entity
that which makes something what it is; intrinsic, fundamental nature or most important quality (of something); essential being
1. a substance that keeps, in concentrated form, the flavor, fragrance, or other properties of the plant, drug, food, etc. from which it is extracted; essential oil
2. a solution of such a substance or oil in alcohol
3. a perfume
Philos.
1. the inward nature of anything, underlying its manifestations; true substance
2. the indispensable conceptual characteristics and relations of anything

Origin: ME < OFr & L essentia < esse, to be: for IE base see is

See essence in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

The intrinsic or indispensable properties that serve to characterize or identify something.
The most important ingredient; the crucial element.
The inherent, unchanging nature of a thing or class of things.
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.
One that has or shows an abundance of a quality as if highly concentrated: a neighbor who is the essence of hospitality.
Something that exists, especially a spiritual or incorporeal entity.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English essencia

Origin: and French essence

Origin: , both from Latin essentia

Origin: , from esse, to be

Origin: , from the presumed present participle *essēns, *essent- (on the model of differentia, difference, from differēns, different-, present participle of differre, to differ)

Origin: , created to translate Greek ousiā (from ousa, feminine present participle of einai, to be); see es- in Indo-European roots

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