GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

is Essence the root word of Essential

POSTED BY: DRAGONMASTERZERO
UPDATED: Sunday, January 22, 2006 21:46
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Sunday, January 22, 2006 7:29 PM

DRAGONMASTERZERO


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


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Sunday, January 22, 2006 7:54 PM

FINN MAC CUMHAL


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

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Sunday, January 22, 2006 7:54 PM

PRINCESSROHANNEN


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.

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Sunday, January 22, 2006 7:56 PM

CHRONICTHEHEDGEHOG


Quick answer? Yes.

Essence - Essential - Essentially.

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Sunday, January 22, 2006 9:46 PM

UNSARDONIC


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."

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