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essence

/ˈɛsəns/
  • noun
  • from Middle French

The inherent nature of a thing or idea.

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1 All current definitions

Every sense of “essence” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

noun

  1. countableuncountableThe inherent nature of a thing or idea.

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

  2. countableuncountableThe true nature of anything, not accidental or illusory.
  3. countableuncountableConstituent substance.
  4. countableuncountableA being; especially, a purely spiritual being.

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

  5. countableuncountableA significant feature of something.
  6. countableuncountableThe concentrated form of a plant or drug obtained through an extraction or distillation process.

    essence of Jojoba

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

    vanilla essence

  8. countableuncountableFragrance, a perfume.
Wiktionary: “essence” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (4)
  1. nounthe choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience — also: kernel, substance, core, center, centre
  2. nounany substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted
  3. nounthe central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work — also: effect, burden, core, gist
  4. nouna toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor — also: perfume
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

Synonyms: quintessence, whatness, gist, crux, aroma, bouquet, essence, nature, contour, ousia, quiddity, marrow

Wiktionary: “essence” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)essence
  2. Middle Englishessence
  3. Middle Frenchessence
  4. Latinessentia “the being or essence of a thing”
  5. Latinan
  6. Latinὤν (ṓn)

From Middle English essence, from Middle 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, “to be, exist”). Displaced native Old English understandennes (literally, "understanden-ness").

Wiktionary: “essence” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “essence”

essencedessencelessglabrescencehyperessencek-essenceparadessencesuperessenceunessence

Phrases & compounds

coffee essenceessence peddlerin essenceof the essencetime is of the essencevanilla essence

Related terms

essentialessentiallyessentialismquintessentialintrinsicalitygist
Wiktionary: “essence” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “essence” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “essence” came from before it was English.

Came into English from
Middle French
Middle French essence
Oldest written form
Latin
Latin ὤν (ṓn)
Wiktionary: “essence” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Latin
“the being or essence of a thing”
Latin essentia
Wiktionary: “essence” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

essence 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 nominal essence.
  2. The constituent quality or qualities which belong to any object, or class of objects, or on which they depend for being what they are (distinguished as real essence); the real being, divested of all logical accidents; that quality which constitutes or marks the true nature of anything; distinctive character; hence, virtue or quality of a thing, separated from its grosser parts.
  3. Constituent substance.
  4. A being; esp., a purely spiritual being.

essence v. t.

  1. To perfume; to scent.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

nounMeaning: The inherent nature of a thing or idea.

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

The essence of Addison’s humour is irony.1884, William John Courthope, chapter IX, in Addison, London: Macmillan and Co., page 182:

nounMeaning: A being; especially, a purely spiritual being.

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

nounMeaning: The concentrated form of a plant or drug obtained through an extraction or distillation process.

essence of Jojoba

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

vanilla essence

She bathed the face of the sleeper with some essence, raised her in her arms, and called upon her name.1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter IV, in Romance and Reality. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 78:

Wiktionary: “essence” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 9

Say it, then spell it

essence

/ˈɛsəns/

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

essence

/ˈɛsəns/ · noun

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “essence” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (noun) The inherent nature of a thing or idea.
2. (noun) The true nature of anything, not accidental or illusory.
3. (noun) Constituent substance.
4. (noun) A being; especially, a purely spiritual being.
5. (noun) A significant feature of something.

Step 3 — Which meaning is it?

“essence of Jojoba”

A. A significant feature of something.
B. Constituent substance.
C. The concentrated form of a plant or drug obtained through an extraction or distillation process.

Circle the meaning used.

“vanilla essence”

A. An extract or concentrate obtained from a plant or other matter used for flavouring, or as a restorative.
B. The true nature of anything, not accidental or illusory.
C. The concentrated form of a plant or drug obtained through an extraction or distillation process.

Circle the meaning used.

Step 4 — History and origin

Which language did “essence” come into English from?   A. Old French  B. Old Norse  C. Middle French  D. Late Latin

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “essence” and what each means:

Step 5 — Original meaning

The earliest traceable form is Latin essentia. What did it mean?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 6 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “essence” to mean: The inherent nature of a thing or idea.
Write a sentence using “essence” to mean: The true nature of anything, not accidental or illusory.
Write a sentence using “essence” to mean: Constituent substance.

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — essence

Which meaning, sentence 1: C. The concentrated form of a plant or drug obtained through an extraction or distillation process.

Which meaning, sentence 2: A. An extract or concentrate obtained from a plant or other matter used for flavouring, or as a restorative.

Origin: C. Middle French (Middle French essence)

Journey: English essence ← Middle English essence ← Middle French essence ← Latin essentia ← Latin an ← Latin ὤν

Some derivatives: essenced, essenceless, glabrescence, hyperessence, k-essence, paradessence, superessence, unessence

Original meaning: Latin essentia — “the being or essence of a thing”

Etymology: From Middle English essence, from Middle 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, “to be, exist”). Displaced native Old English understandennes (literally, "understanden-ness").

Sources: Wiktionary “essence” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/essence#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/essence