what does essential mean?

Question

what does essential mean?

Answer 1

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es·sen·tial [i sénshəl]

adj

1. necessary: of the highest importance for achieving something

It is essential that we arrive on time.

2. basic: being the most basic element or feature of something or somebody

We wanted the biography to tell us the essential nature of the man.

3. perfect: being the pure or perfect form or embodiment of something

4. biochemistry required in diet: used to describe a nutrient such as a fatty acid that is required in the diet for the health and growth of an organism but not synthesized in the body

5. defining: constituting the property or characteristic of something that makes it what it is

Being three-sided is essential to being a triangle.

6. medicine without known cause: used to describe a disease that has no known cause

n (plural es·sen·tials)

something essential: something that is necessary or fundamental

Having your own computer is an essential for this kind of work.

She soon picked up the essentials of the subject.

[14th century. From late Latin essentialis , from Latin essentia (see essence).]

-es·sen·ti·al·i·ty [i sènshee állətee], n

-es·sen·tial·ly [i sénshəlee], adv

-es·sen·tial·ness [i sénshəlnəss], n

Source(s): Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2003. © 1993-2002

Answer 2

Of or pertaining to the essence of something.

Answer 3

absolutely necessary; indispensable

Source(s): dictionary.com