English Meaning & Definitions
Absolutely necessary; extremely important.
- “Water is essential for human survival.”
- “Good communication is essential in any relationship.”
A thing that is absolutely necessary.
- “Make sure to pack only the bare essentials before you travel.”
- “Food, shelter, and water are the basic essentials of life.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “essential”.
Late Middle English: from medieval Latin essentialis, from Late Latin essentia (translation of Greek ousia 'being, essence').
Think of the word 'essence' inside 'essential'—it represents the core essence of something that you cannot live without.
Frequently Asked Questions About “essential”
1. What is the meaning of “essential” in English?
In English, essential (adjective) is defined as: “Absolutely necessary; extremely important.”.
2. How do you use “essential” in a sentence?
“Water is essential for human survival.”
3. What are English synonyms of “essential”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “essential”?
Late Middle English: from medieval Latin essentialis, from Late Latin essentia (translation of Greek ousia 'being, essence').
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.