[ɪˈsɛnʃl], (Adjective)

Definitions:
- absolutely necessary; extremely important
(e.g: it is essential to keep up-to-date records)

- (of a disease) with no known external stimulus or cause; idiopathic
(e.g: essential hypertension)


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘in the highest degree’): from late Latin essentialis, from Latin essentia (see essence)

[ɪˈsɛnʃl], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a thing that is absolutely necessary
(e.g: we only had the bare essentials in the way of equipment)


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘in the highest degree’): from late Latin essentialis, from Latin essentia (see essence)