is Essence the root word of Essential

POSTED BY: DragonMasterZero
UPDATED: Monday, January 23, 2006 07:46
VIEWED: 5983
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DRAGONMASTERZERO

Monday, January 23, 2006 5:29 AM

In the commentary of War Stories, Nathan asks Alan if essence is the root word of essential and Alan says yes.

Now is essence actually the root word of essential? I don't think it is, but I don't credit myself with an overabundance of brains

FINN MAC CUMHAL

Monday, January 23, 2006 5:54 AM

Yes, it is. Essential means having essence. Both are derived from the Latin word esse, which means ‘to be.’

Not that I minded answering the question, but a dictionary would have worked just as well.

Oh, he's so full of manure, that man! We could lay him in the dirt and grow another one just like him.
-- Ruby

PRINCESSROHANNEN

Monday, January 23, 2006 5:54 AM

According to my handy little dictionary:

The essence of a thing is its fundamental nature or inherent characteristics.

and

Essential means "of or constituting the essence of a person or thing."

As such, the two words are at least related to one another. They may have a common root in Latin or Greek. I'll ask my sister. She knows about these things.

CHRONICTHEHEDGEHOG

Monday, January 23, 2006 5:56 AM

Quick answer? Yes.

Essence - Essential - Essentially.

UNSARDONIC

Monday, January 23, 2006 7:46 AM

When in doubt... or even semi-doubt... I always turn to Ambrose Bierce and the Enlarged (3rd Edition) of his Devil's Dictionary:

"ESSENTIAL," adj. Pertaining to the "essence," or that which determines the distinctive character of a thing. People, who, because they do not know the English laguage, are driven to the unprofitable vocation of writing for American newspapers, commonly use this word in the sense of "necessary," as:

"April rains are 'essential' to June harvests." W. C. Bartlett

Anyone who doesn't read Ambrose Bierce "is a stupid, inbred stack of meat."