essentia
essentia — noun
1. the fundamental set of characteristics that makes something exactly what it is,
the fundamental set of characteristics that makes something exactly what it is, and without which it would no longer be that kind of thing — the Latin philosophical term for the core being or nature of an entity.
Professor Imran argued that the essentia of justice cannot be reduced to mere utility.
the essentia of + abstract noun (philosophical use)
William's treatise questioned whether the essentia of a species changes over evolutionary time.
For Kasia, the essentia of good design lay in simplicity and honest function, not ornament.
Medieval scholars debated whether the essentia of a thing was identical to its existence.
- essence
the everyday English equivalent, used in all registers
- nature
broader and less technical; refers to general character rather than philosophical definition
- substance
overlapping philosophical sense, but can also mean 'physical matter' outside philosophy
- quiddity
a rare scholastic term meaning 'whatness' — the essence that answers 'what is it?'
- accident
in philosophy, a non-essential attribute that can change without altering what the thing is
- appearance
how something seems on the surface, contrasted with its true inner nature
文法句型
the essentia of [something]
用法筆記
This is the Latin term used primarily in philosophical and theological writing. In everyday English, the word 'essence' is far more common and carries the same core meaning. 'Essentia' is rarely encountered outside academic philosophy, medieval studies, or very formal theoretical discussions.