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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary es·sen·tial
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 23. idiopathic essential disease essential hypertension 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
noun DATE 15th century 1. something basic the essentials of astronomy 2. something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable English Etymology essential mid-14c., "that is such by its essence," from L.L. essentialis, from essentia (see essence). Meaning "pertaining to essence" is from late 14c., that of "constituting the essence of something" is from 1540s; that of "necessary" is from 1520s. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ essential es·sen·tial / i5senFl / adjective1. ~ (to / for sth) | ~ (to do sth) | ~ (that...) completely necessary; extremely important in a particular situation or for a particular activity SYN vital
完全必要的；必不可少的；极其重要的: an essential part / ingredient / component of sth 某事物必不可少的一部份/成分/组成部份 Money is not essential to happiness. 金钱对于幸福并非必不可少。 Experience is essential for this job. 对于这个工作,经验是非常重要的。 essential services such as gas, water and electricity 诸如燃气、水、电等必不可少的重要设施 The museum is closed while essential repairs are being carried out. 博物馆正在进行大修,在此期间暂停开放。 It is essential to keep the ten groups separate. 将这两组分开是完全必要的。 It is essential that you have some experience. 你必须得有些经验。 Even in small companies, computers are an essential tool. 即使在小公司里,计算机也是必不可少的工具。 ⇨ compare inessential , non-essential OPP dispensable 2. [only before noun] connected with the most important aspect or basic nature of sb / sth SYN fundamental
本质的；基本的；根本的: The essential difference between Sara and me is in our attitude to money. 我与萨拉的根本区别在于我们对金钱的态度。 The essential character of the town has been destroyed by the new road. 这个城镇的主要特色被这条新公路毁了。 noun[usually pl.] 1. something that is needed in a particular situation or in order to do a particular thing 必不可少的东西；必需品: I only had time to pack the bare essentials (= the most necessary things). 我只来得及装上最基本的用品。 The studio had all the essentials like heating and running water. 工作室里备有基本设施,如暖气装置和自来水。 2. an important basic fact or piece of knowledge about a subject 要点；要素；实质: the essentials of English grammar 英语语法基础 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English essential adj. VERBS appear, be, seem | become It is becoming almost essential for students to have a second language. | remain | make sth Increased competition makes it essential for the business to innovate. | consider sth, deem sth, regard sth as, see sth as, think sth Do you consider these textbooks essential for the course? ADV. really | absolutely | almost, virtually | fairly | by no means Although useful, the accessories are by no means essential. PREP. for the skills essential for success | to He believed that some form of religion was essential to human life. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus-11th Edition adj. Function: adjective 1 Synonyms: INHERENT , congenital, connate, constitutional, deep-seated, elemental, inborn, inbred, innate, intrinsic Contrasted Words: conditional, contingent, dependent Antonyms: accidental 2 so important to the nature and essence of a thing as to be indispensable FF1C;the essential ingredient in this medicine is a new drugFF1E; Synonyms: cardinal, constitutive, fundamental, vital Related Words: basal, basic, underlying; capital, chief, foremost, leading, main, principal; primal, primary, prime Contrasted Words: dependent, secondary, subordinate; accessory, auxiliary, contributory, subsidiary 3 Synonyms: ELEMENTAL 1, basic, elementary, fundamental, primitive, substratal, underlying 4 urgently required FF1C;raw materials essential to industryFF1E; Synonyms: imperative, indispensable, necessary, necessitous, prerequisite Related Words: needed, needful; required, requisite, wanted; right-hand; vital Contrasted Words: dispensable, unnecessary, unneeded, unrequired, unwanted Antonyms: nonessential adj. Function: noun 1 something that forms part of the minimal body, character, or structure of a thing FF1C;prosperity is an essential of the good lifeFF1E; Synonyms: basic, element, fundamental, part and parcel, rudiment Related Words: essence, stuff, substance; must, necessary, prerequisite, sine qua non 2 something necessary, required, or unavoidable FF1C;work was an essential to survivalFF1E; Synonyms: condition, must, necessity, precondition, prerequisite, requirement, requisite, sine qua non Idioms: name of the game Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged es·sen·tial I. \ə̇ˈsenchəl, eˈ-, ēˈ-\ adjective Etymology: Middle English essencial, from Late Latin essentialis, from Latin essentia essence + -alis -al 1. : of or relating to an essence: as a. : having or realizing in itself the essence of its kind : having or consisting of the basic, most fundamental nature, property, quality, or attribute peculiar to or necessary or indispensable to its kind < the problem is to grasp the essential man — Carl Bridenbaugh > < the sunshine where it fell was a blinding essential light without color, so that the grass looked like snowdrifts — John Buchan > b. : forming or constituting the essence of something : making up or being the constituent or intrinsic character of very nature of a thing < his eyes were wide, as one who looks at his essential self through the mask we wear — George Meredith > < wished his work to have no ornament other than its own essential beauty, without exterior decoration — Aldous Huxley > < our essential admixture of matter and spirit, emotions and intelligence — Word Study > c. : belonging to or being part of the essence of something :belonging to the constituent fundamental character of a thing : not accidental to something < stamens are essential organs of a flower > < has not shown that the merits of puritan thought are essentialand the defects accidental — M.G.White > < the most essential characteristic of mind is memory — Bertrand Russell > < the great charm of his personality, his essential sympathy and kindliness — M.R.Cohen > < did much to direct attention to the essential immorality of lotteries — J.S.Kendall > — compare accessory 1 d. : constituting an indispensable structure, core, or condition of a thing : basic , fundamental < a little excessive to have to sit through so much frankly nonessential repertory in order to hear two short works from the band's essential repertory — Virgil Thomson > < there was an essential soundness in his line of reasoning > 2. a. : necessary , indispensable < transporting the heavy ore by rail was difficult and expensive; a water route was essential — Allan Nevins & H.S.Commager > < international scientific meetings are essential to scientific progress for the reason that no one nation has a monopoly of either ideas or brains — Saturday Review > < agreed to request uniform standards for deferment of essentialphysicians — Current Biography > < Lutherans from the sixteenth century have regarded choir singing as essential to their ritual — American Guide Series: Minnesota > b. : unavoidable < a good many essential tasks are left until the last minute — Stewart Cockburn > < physicians and lawyers may count their purchases of books as essential expenses of their profession in computing income tax — Report: (Canadian) Royal Commission on National Development > c. : important in the highest degree : demanding maximum attention : unavoidably significant < a great reserve of manpower essential to the defense of the homeland > d. : minimal but fundamental to the achievement of an end < make yourself a small pocket map showing the essentiallandmarks around camp so that you can find your way back — Boy Scout Handbook > 3. : containing the essence of that portion of a plant or substance which is marked by its characteristic odor or virtue : being or relating to an essence (sense 8) < an essential odor > — see essential oil 4. of a musical tone : necessary to or determining the tonality of a piece of music < did not alter the essential tones but added grace notes > 5. : having no obvious or known cause : idiopathic , inherent < essential disease > Synonyms: fundamental , vital , and cardinal all imply maximum importance, indispensability, and necessary priority in considerations, plans, or discussions. Often the words are interchangeable. When they do differ in implication, these differences are suggested by the etymologies. essential may suggest that the matter in question involves the very essence, or being or real nature, of whatever is concerned < but in the epic, lyric, the dramatic … ideality in contrast with actuality plays an intrinsic and essential part — John Dewey > < undoubtedly correct in concluding that the essential emotion of the play [Hamlet] is the feeling of a son toward a guilty mother — T.S.Eliot > fundamental may suggest something of the nature of a foundation, something on which a system or structure rests < such fundamental methods as induction and deduction, analysis, synthesis, and comparison are common to all types of systematic knowledge — René Wellek & Austin Warren > < recognition of the importance of fundamental skills, since in a democracy citizens must be able to compute, read, write, listen, and speak effectively — New York Times > vital may suggest that which is necessary to continued life or existence of whatever is in question < nitrate, necessary in fertilizers, but vital to the manufacturers of explosives in case of war — A.C.Morrison > < barriers within our own country which stand in the way of bringing to Americans resources vital to their own safety and interest — C.E.Odegaard > cardinal may refer to the decisive or conclusive since it may suggest that on which an outcome hinges or pivots < to one cardinal principle Edwards was faithful — the conception of the majesty and sufficiency of God, and this polar idea provides the clue to both his philosophical and theological systems — V.L.Parrington > < the cardinal virtue in the Shavian scale … is responsibility; every creed he has attacked Shaw has attacked on the grounds of irresponsibility — E.R.Bentley > Synonym: see in addition needful .II. noun (-s) : something essential: as a. : something basic or fundamental especially belonging to or forming part of the minimal indispensable body, character, or structure of a thing < the essentials of the good life > < the essentials of astronomy > < gave only the essentials of the story > b. : something necessary, indispensable, or unavoidable < work was an essential to survival > < a man considered an essential in his office > < a job that was both a great chore and an essential to the success of the enterprise > < all that sort of duplicity is an essential in any handling of men by methods other than direct authority — Hilaire Belloc > |
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