51³Ô¹Ï

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View synonyms for

essential

[uh-sen-shuhl]

adjective

  1. absolutely necessary; indispensable.

    Discipline is essential in an army.

    Synonyms: , , , ,
  2. pertaining to or constituting the essence of a thing.

    Antonyms: , , ,
  3. noting or containing an essence of a plant, drug, etc.

  4. being such by its very nature or in the highest sense; natural; spontaneous.

    essential happiness.

  5. Mathematics.Ìý

    1. (of a singularity of a function of a complex variable) noting that the Laurent series at the point has an infinite number of terms with negative powers.

    2. (of a discontinuity) noting that the function is discontinuous and has no limit at the point.



noun

  1. a basic, indispensable, or necessary element; chief point.

    Concentrate on essentials rather than details.

essential

/ ɪˈsɛnʃəl, ɪˌsɛnʃɪˈælɪtɪ /

adjective

  1. vitally important; absolutely necessary

  2. basic; fundamental

    the essential feature

  3. completely realized; absolute; perfect

    essential beauty

  4. biochem (of an amino acid or a fatty acid) necessary for the normal growth of an organism but not synthesized by the organism and therefore required in the diet

  5. derived from or relating to an extract of a plant, drug, etc

    an essential oil

  6. logic (of a property) guaranteed by the identity of the subject; necessary. Thus, if having the atomic number 79 is an essential property of gold, nothing can be gold unless it has that atomic number

  7. music denoting or relating to a note that belongs to the fundamental harmony of a chord or piece

  8. pathol (of a disease) having no obvious external cause

    essential hypertension

  9. geology (of a mineral constituent of a rock) necessary for defining the classification of a rock. Its absence alters the rock's name and classification

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. something fundamental or indispensable

    a sharp eye is an essential for a printer

  2. music an essential note

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51³Ô¹Ï Forms

  • essentially adverb
  • essentialness noun
  • preessential noun
  • preessentially adverb
  • quasi-essential adjective
  • quasi-essentially adverb
  • subessential adjective
  • subessentially adverb
  • subessentialness noun
  • essentiality noun
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of essential1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English essencial, from Late Latin ±ð²õ²õ±ð²Ô³Ù¾±Äå±ô¾±²õ. See essence, -al 1
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Synonym Study

See necessary. Essential, inherent, intrinsic refer to that which is in the natural composition of a thing. Essential suggests that which is in the very essence or constitution of a thing: Oxygen and hydrogen are essential in water. Inherent means inborn or fixed from the beginning as a permanent quality or constituent of a thing: properties inherent in iron. Intrinsic implies belonging to the nature of a thing itself, and comprised within it, without regard to external considerations or accidentally added properties: the intrinsic value of diamonds.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

This was updated to warn against "all but essential travel" to the country after a state of emergency was declared on 13 June.

From

Uranium-235 is essential both for nuclear power stations and also for nuclear weapons.

From

But over the years, nearly all my encounters have been with the likes of Ray, who are an essential part of the workforce.

From

Known for "what I eat in a day" and "skinny girl essential" suggestions, Ms Schmidt was accused of "rage baiting" to boost her profile views.

From

“Prime Minister†is an essential political portrait in how it seeds optimism and concern, leaving you with hope that more Jacinda Arderns are in the wings ready to enshrine common sense, despite the risks.

From

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Esseneessential amino acid