Paging Samuel Johnson...
09 June 2006 @ 21:43 in Life
essential ɪˌsɛnʃ(ə)l
adjective
1 absolutely necessary; extremely important : [with infinitive ] it is essential to keep up-to-date records | fiber is an essential ingredient. See notes at inherent, necessary .
• [ attrib. ] fundamental or central to the nature of something or someone : the essential weakness of the plaintiff's case.
ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense [in the highest degree] ): from late Latin essentialis, from Latin essentia.
