Definitions
01the core nature
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the most important quality or feature of something that makes it what it is.
n. the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, that determines its character.
日本語:本質※
Español:esencia
“The essence of his argument was that we need to protect the environment for our children.”
“The artist managed to capture the very essence of the rugged coastline using only a few bold strokes of charcoal.”
Usage
Often used in the phrase 'in essence' to summarise a complex point.
02a concentrate
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Cooking Technical
n. a strong liquid taken from a plant or food, used for its smell or taste.
n. a concentrated substance or extract obtained from a plant, drug, or foodstuff by distillation or similar processes.
日本語:エッセンス※
“Add two drops of vanilla essence to the cake mixture for a better flavour.”
“The recipe requires a high-quality almond essence, as synthetic substitutes often fail to provide the necessary depth of aroma.”
Usage
Commonly used in culinary and pharmaceutical contexts.
Synonyms
03time is of the essence
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Formal
n. used to say that something is extremely important and must be done quickly.
n. a fixed idiomatic expression indicating that a particular factor, usually time, is a critical requirement.
“Please send the documents immediately because time is of the essence.”
“In emergency surgery, time is of the essence, and every second saved increases the patient's chances of a full recovery.”
Teaching tip
This is almost exclusively used with 'time' in professional or legal contexts.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “essence” in context.
Verb
01. capture the essence
“The photographer managed to capture the essence of the city in a single frame.”
verb + noun
02. distill the essence
“The author tried to distill the essence of his philosophy into a short essay.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. true essence
“To understand the true essence of the problem, we must look at its history.”
adj + noun
04. very essence
“Conflict is the very essence of drama, driving the plot forward.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. essence of the argument
“The essence of the argument is that technology should serve humanity, not the other way around.”
noun + of + noun
06. vanilla essence
“Add two drops of vanilla essence to the cake batter for a better aroma.”
noun + noun
Preposition
07. in essence
“The two proposals are, in essence, the same despite their different wording.”
prep + noun
08. of the essence
“In emergency surgery, time is of the essence to ensure the patient's survival.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Spain is in essence joining the global shift towards digital, with fewer paper copies sold every year and all the leading national newspapers and many regional dailies turning to a subscription-based model to survive.” “Each lineage, in essence, independently continued tweaking and enhancing how its ribosomes worked.” “In reacting against the values of midcentury America, Sondheim’s musicals in essence continue to give Golden Age musicals their lasting power.” “In essence, it's a story of two halves.” 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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/essence
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0