Standard Lemma guide

essentiality

noun · 3 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

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The condition of being essential; a basic set of essential traits; being

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

2

noun

Meaning 2

An essential thing.

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

3

noun

Meaning 3

basic importance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: essentialness

Antonyms: inessentiality

Broader terms: importance

Narrower terms: vitalness, indispensability, indispensableness

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 *-teh2 Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh2ts Latin -itāsder. Old French -itebor. Middle English -ite English -ity English essentiality From essential + -ity.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: essencialitat — being essential
  • French: essentialité — being essential
  • Galician: esencialidade — being essential
  • Italian: essenzialità — being essential
  • Māori: waiwai — being essential
  • Portuguese: essencialidade — being essential
  • Romanian: esențialitate — being essential
  • Spanish: esencialidad — being essential
  • Spanish: esencialidad — essential thing