essence English · revision 10446

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1398|origins=la essentia|origins=ine-pro *h₁es-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɛsəns/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English essencia, essencie, [[bor|la|essentia|t=being, essence]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) respelled essence in the late 15th century on the French model (Old French essence),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) an abstract noun formed to translate Greek [[m|grc|οὐσία|tr=ousía|t=being]] from essent-, a present participle stem of esse, to be,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from PIE *es-, to be (see [[is]]).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In theology, the substance of the Trinity: before 1398, in Trevisa's translation of Bartholomaeus;^(Barnhart 1988) true being, as distinct from accidental qualities, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Caxton's spelling essence (1481) probably reflects his familiarity with French.^(Barnhart 1988) An early meaning was being or existence.^(Cresswell 2021)^(Hoad 1986) The general sense, the most important or basic element of anything, is first recorded in 1656, in Hobbes;^(Barnhart 1988) the ingredient that gives something its character is from about 1600.^(Etymonline) In alchemy the ''fifth essence'' was the quintessence,^(Cresswell 2021) and the technical sense, an extract in concentrated form, followed in 1660, in Boyle,^(Barnhart 1988) especially of distilled plant oils (1650s), hence a perfume in the 17th century.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) In 19th-century America an essence-peddler could be a travelling medicine seller or a skunk.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1398 – substance of the Trinity.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1481 – the spelling essence.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1600 – the essential ingredient.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1656 – the basic element.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1660 – a concentrated extract.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, which makes it what it is.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The most important element: ''the essence of the problem''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An extract of a substance in concentrated form, or a perfume.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A perfect example of a quality: ''the essence of politeness''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(philosophy)'' The unchanging nature of a thing.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[essential]]

+ * [[essentialism]]

+ * [[quintessential]]

+ * [[quintessence]]

+ * [[entity]]

+ * [[is]]

+ * [[absent]]

+ * [[present]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}