Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

es·sence       (ěs'əns)  Pronunciation Key  n.   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. An extract that has the fundamental properties of a substance in concentrated form. Such an extract in a solution of alcohol. 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. [Middle English essencia and French essence, both from Latin essentia, from esse, to be, from the presumed present participle *essēns, *essent- (on the model of differentia, difference, from differēns, different-, present participle of differre, to differ), created to translate Greek ousiā (from ousa, feminine present participle of einai, to be); see es- in Indo-European roots.]

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
essence 

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

essence
noun
1.	the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience; "the gist of the prosecutor's argument"; "the heart and soul of the Republican Party"; "the nub of the story" [syn: kernel]
2.	any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted
3.	the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work [syn: effect]
4.	a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor [syn: perfume]

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: es·sence
Pronunciation: 'es-^&ns
Function: noun
1 : the real or ultimate nature of a thing : the properties that make a thing what it is essence from the collective bargaining agreement —United Steel Workers v. Enterprise Wheel and Car Corporation, 363 U.S. 593 (1960)> —see also ESSENCE TEST
2 : the predominant purpose of a thing essence of the contract>—of the essence : of the utmost importance; specifically : so material in nature that failure to satisfy its requirements constitutes a breach of contract of the essence>

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Essence

Es"sence\, 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.

The laws are at present, both in form and essence, the greatest curse that society labors under. --Landor.

Gifts and alms are the expressions, not the essence of this virtue [charity]. --Addison.

The essence of Addison's humor is irony. --Courthope.

3. Constituent substance.

And uncompounded is their essence pure. --Milton.

4. A being; esp., a purely spiritual being.

As far as gods and heavenly essences Can perish. --Milton.

He had been indulging in fanciful speculations on spiritual essences, until . . . he had and ideal world of his own around him. --W. Irving.

5. The predominant qualities or virtues of a plant or drug, extracted and refined from grosser matter; or, more strictly, the solution in spirits of wine of a volatile or essential oil; as, the essence of mint, and the like.

The . . . word essence . . . scarcely underwent a more complete transformation when from being the abstract of the verb "to be," it came to denote something sufficiently concrete to be inclosed in a glass bottle. --J. S. Mill.

6. Perfume; odor; scent; or the volatile matter constituting perfume.

Nor let the essences exhale. --Pope.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Essence

Es"sence\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Essenced; p. pr. & vb. n. Essencing.] To perfume; to scent. "Essenced fops." --Addison.