Essence (noun) Definition, Meaning & Examples

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noun
  1. the basic, real, and invariable nature of a thing or its significant individual feature or features: Freedom is the very essence of our democracy.
  2. a substance obtained from a plant, drug, or the like, by distillation, infusion, etc., and containing its characteristic properties in concentrated form.
  3. an alcoholic solution of an essential oil; spirit.
  4. a perfume; scent.
  5. the inward nature, true substance, or constitution of anything, as opposed to what is accidental, phenomenal, illusory, etc.
  6. something that exists, especially a spiritual or immaterial entity.
Idioms
  1. essentially; at bottom, often despite appearances: For all his bluster, he is in essence a shy person.
  2. absolutely essential; critical; crucial: In chess, cool nerves are of the essence.
noun
  1. the characteristic or intrinsic feature of a thing, which determines its identity; fundamental nature
  2. the most distinctive element of a thing
  3. a perfect or complete form of something, esp a person who typifies an abstract quality
  4. philosophy
    • the unchanging and unchangeable nature of something which is necessary to its being the thing it is; its necessary properties
    • the properties in virtue of which something is called by its name
    • the nature of something as distinct from, and logically prior to, its existence
  5. an immaterial or spiritual entity
    • the constituent of a plant, usually an oil, alkaloid, or glycoside, that determines its chemical or pharmacological properties
    • an alcoholic solution of such a substance
  7. a substance, usually a liquid, containing the properties of a plant or foodstuff in concentrated form
  8. a rare word for perfume
  9. essentially; fundamentally
  10. indispensable; vitally important
Essence (noun) Definition, Meaning & Examples

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