Standard Lemma guide

essentialism

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɪˈsɛnʃəlɪz(ə)m/
  • General-American: /əˈsɛn(t)ʃəˌlɪzəm/
  • rhymes with -ɛnʃəlɪzəm

1

noun

Meaning 1

The view that objects have properties that are essential to them.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The view that all members of certain groups of people (such as those with the same race, gender, age, or sexual orientation) have common, essential traits inherent to the defining feature of the group; (also) behavior or statement(s) that reflect such a view.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, sciences, social-science, sociology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The doctrine that there are certain traditional concepts, values, and skills that are essential to society and should be taught to all students.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: education

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A lifestyle that seeks to minimize nonessentials in order to focus on what is important.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The theory that human beings are by nature (i.e. essentially) good and that evil is the product of society.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h1es- Proto-Indo-European *h1ésti Proto-Indo-European *bhuH- Proto-Indo-European *bhúHt Proto-Italic *ezom~*som Old Latin 𐌄𐌔𐌏𐌌 (esom) Old Latin esum Latin sumder. Latin *essēns Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin essentia Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Late Latin essentiālisbor. English essential Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English essentialism From essential + -ism.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: اَلْجَوْهَرَانِيَّة (al-jawharāniyya) — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Catalan: essencialisme — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Chinese Mandarin: 本質主義 /本质主义 (běnzhìzhǔyì) — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Chinese Mandarin: 精粹主義 /精粹主义 (jīngcuìzhǔyì) — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Czech: esencialismus — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Estonian: essentsialism — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Finnish: essentialismi — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • French: essentialisme — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • German: Essentialismus — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Greek: ουσιοκρατία (ousiokratía) — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Hungarian: esszencializmus — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Icelandic: eðlishyggja — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Icelandic: verundarhyggja — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Italian: essenzialismo — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Japanese: 本質主義 (honshitsushugi) — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Korean: 본질주의 (bonjiljuui) — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Portuguese: essencialismo — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Slovak: esencializmus — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Spanish: esencialismo — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Swedish: essentialism — view that objects have properties that are essential to them
  • Turkish: özcülük — view that objects have properties that are essential to them