essential
Use Essential in a sentence
ʃəl adjective
1.
absolutely necessary; indispensable: Discipline is essential in an army.
2.
pertaining to or constituting the essence of a thing.
3.
noting or containing an essence of a plant, drug, etc.
5.
Mathematics.
a.
(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.
b.
(of a discontinuity) noting that the function is discontinuous and has no limit at the point. Compare removable ( def 2 ).
noun
6.
a basic, indispensable, or necessary element; chief point: Concentrate on essentials rather than details.
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Essential
is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
Origin:
1300–50; Middle English essencial < Medieval Latin essenciālis for Late Latin essentiālis. See essence, -al1
1300–50; Middle English essencial < Medieval Latin essenciālis for Late Latin essentiālis. See essence, -al1
Related forms
es·sen·tial·ly, adverb
es·sen·tial·ness, noun
pre·es·sen·tial, noun, adjective
pre·es·sen·tial·ly, adverb
qua·si-es·sen·tial, adjective
qua·si-es·sen·tial·ly, adverb
sub·es·sen·tial, adjective
sub·es·sen·tial·ly, adverb
sub·es·sen·tial·ness, noun
Synonyms
1. fundamental, basic, inherent, intrinsic, vital. See necessary. 2. 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.
1. fundamental, basic, inherent, intrinsic, vital. See necessary. 2. 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.
Antonyms
2. incidental, extraneous, extrinsic; accidental.
2. incidental, extraneous, extrinsic; accidental.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To essential
Collins
World English Dictionary
essential (ɪˈsɛnʃəl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 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 |
| —n | |
| 10. | something fundamental or indispensable: a sharp eye is an essential for a printer |
| 11. | music an essential note |
| essentiality | |
| —n | |
| es'sentialness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
essential
mid-14c., "that is such by its essence," from L.L. essentialis, from essentia (see essence). Meaning "pertaining to essence" is from late 14c., that of "constituting the essence of something" is from 1540s; that of "necessary" is from 1520s. Essentials "indispensible elements"
is from early 16c. Related: Essentially; essentialism (1939); essentialist..
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
essential es·sen·tial (ĭ-sěn'shəl)
adj.
Constituting or being part of the essence of something; inherent.
Basic or indispensable; necessary.
Of, relating to, or being a dysfunctional condition or a disease whose cause is unknown.
Of, relating to, or being a substance that is required for normal functioning but cannot be synthesized by the body and therefore must be included in the diet.
Something fundamental.
Something necessary or indispensable.
es·sen'ti·al'i·ty (-shē-āl'ĭ-tē) or es·sen'tial·ness n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Example sentences
Data centres are essential to nearly every industry and have become as vital to the functioning of society as power stations are.
It's essential that critics challenge our thinking and question our strategies.
Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body, and must be supplied by food.
Given the heart's many essential functions, it seems wise to take care of it.
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