essential

essential
I. adjective Date: 14th century 1. of, relating to, or constituting essence ; inherent 2. a. of the utmost importance ; basic, indispensable, necessary <
an essential requirement for admission to college
>
b. being a substance that is not synthesized by the body in a quantity sufficient for normal health and growth and that must be obtained from the diet <
dietary protein provides the body with essential amino acids
>
— compare nonessential 2 3. idiopathic <
essential disease
>
<
essential hypertension
>
essentially adverbessentialness noun Synonyms: essential, fundamental, vital, cardinal mean so important as to be indispensable. essential implies belonging to the very nature of a thing and therefore being incapable of removal without destroying the thing itself or its character <
conflict is essential in drama
>
. fundamental applies to something that is a foundation without which an entire system or complex whole would collapse <
fundamental principles of algebra
>
. vital suggests something that is necessary to a thing's continued existence or operation <
cut off from vital supplies
>
. cardinal suggests something on which an outcome turns or depends <
a cardinal rule in buying a home
>
. II. noun Date: 15th century 1. something basic <
the essentials of astronomy
>
2. something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • essential — Ⅰ. essential UK US /ɪˈsenʃəl/ adjective ► very important or necessary: »Computer literacy is becoming as essential as the ability to drive a car. an essential component/part of sth »Selective expansion of our store base is an essential component… …   Financial and business terms

  • Essential — Es*sen tial ([e^]s*s[e^]n sjal), a. [Cf. F. essentiel. See {Essence}.] 1. Belonging to the essence, or that which makes an object, or class of objects, what it is. [1913 Webster] Majestic as the voice sometimes became, there was forever in it an… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • essential — I (inherent) adjective basal, basic, basilar, basilary, elemental, fundamental, immanent, implicit, integral, intrinsic, intrinsical, main, primary II (required) adjective basic, binding, called for, chief, compulsory, critical, crucial, demanded …   Law dictionary

  • essential — adj 1 inherent, intrinsic, constitutional, ingrained Analogous words: *innate, inborn, inbred, congenital: inner, inward: elemental (see ELEMENTARY): *characteristic, individual, peculiar, distinctive Antonyms: accidental Contrasted words:… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • essential — [ə sen′shəl, isen′shəl] adj. [ME essencial < LL essentialis: see ESSENCE] 1. of or constituting the intrinsic, fundamental nature of something; basic; inherent [an essential difference] 2. absolute; complete; perfect 3. absolutely necessary;… …   English World dictionary

  • Essential — Grandes éxitos de Jethro Tull Publicación 24 de marzo de 2003 (UK) 31 de marzo de 2003 (EE. UU.) Género(s) Rock progresivo Duración 43:41 …   Wikipedia Español

  • essential — [adj1] important, vital capital, cardinal, chief, constitutive, crucial, foremost, fundamental, imperative, indispensable, leading, main, necessary, necessitous, needed, needful, prerequisite, principal, required, requisite, righthand, wanted;… …   New thesaurus

  • Essential — Es*sen tial ([e^]s*s[e^]n sjal), n. 1. Existence; being. [Obs.] Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. That which is essential; first or constituent principle; as, the essentials of religion. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Essentiāl — (essentiell, lat.), wesentlich, unumgänglich notwendig. Essentialia (Essentialien), wesentliche Dinge, wesentliche Bestandteile; essentialia negotii, in der Rechtssprache die wesentlichen Bestandteile eines Rechtsgeschäfts, die vorhanden sein… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • essential — essential, ale, aux [esɑ̃sjal, o] adj. ÉTYM. Mil. XXe; de essence, d après le lat. essentialis, refait pour éviter l ambiguïté d essentiel « de l essence », « très important ». ❖ ♦ Philos. De l essence. ❖ CONTR. Accidentel, existentiel …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • essential... — essential...,   Schreibvariante für essenzial …   Universal-Lexikon

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