essence

/ˈɛsəns/noun

The basic quality that makes something what it truly is.

Example sentences

“Freedom of speech is the essence of democracy.”
“The essence of good cooking is fresh ingredients.”

'In essence' means fundamentally. 'Of the essence' means indispensable, as in the contract phrase 'time is of the essence'.

Related words

eternalA being that never dies; an immortal.essayA fairly short piece of writing that examines a single topic or question.etherealBelonging to the sky or a realm beyond the earth; light, delicate, and seemingly not of this world.espouseTo take someone as a husband or wife; to marry.ethernetA wired system for connecting computers into a network, built on a widely used technical standard.esotericMeant for or understood by only a small circle of people who share special knowledge or interests.