Essential
ɪˈsɛnʃəl
Definitions
2 meaningsAbsolutely necessary; extremely important.
ɪˈsɛnʃəl
Absolutely necessary; extremely important
Education is essential for a successful future.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're baking a cake. Flour, eggs, and sugar are *essential* – you can't make a cake without them!
👶 For kids: Something that is super important and you can't do without it.
More Examples
It is essential to follow the instructions carefully.
The essential elements of the report were missing.
How It's Used
"Water is essential for life."
"Communication is an essential skill for managers."
"The essential elements of a chemical compound are crucial for its properties."
A thing that is absolutely necessary or indispensable.
ɪˈsɛnʃəl
A thing that is absolutely necessary
Make sure you pack all the essentials for the trip.
💡 Simply: When packing for a trip, the *essentials* are the things you absolutely need, like your toothbrush and clothes.
👶 For kids: Things you REALLY need, like food or toys.
More Examples
The essentials for the experiment were collected.
We focused on the essentials to reduce costs.
How It's Used
"The essentials for a camping trip include a tent and sleeping bag."
"Focusing on the essentials helps you prioritize."
Idioms & expressions
the essentials of
The basic things that are absolutely necessary or indispensable for something.
"We are teaching the students the essentials of coding."
get down to the essentials
To focus on the most important things and ignore unnecessary details.
"Let's get down to the essentials, we need to decide the budget by tomorrow."
From Middle French essentiel, from Latin essentialis, from essentia ('being, essence').
The word has been in use since the 16th century, evolving from its Latin roots to describe things that are fundamentally important.
Memory tip
Think of something you absolutely cannot live without. That's essential.
Word Origin
"relating to existence or being"