nonessential
/ˌnän-i-ˈsen(t)-shəl/ (ame, mw)
nonessential — adjective
- nonessentialpositive
- more nonessentialcomparative
- most nonessentialsuperlative
1. not needed in order for something to work, exist, or succeed; able to be removed
not needed in order for something to work, exist, or succeed; able to be removed or skipped without causing real problems.
During the lockdown, all nonessential shops in Taipei had to close their doors.
attributive: nonessential + noun (collective)
Allison cut every nonessential expense from her monthly budget after losing her job.
attributive: nonessential + noun (concept)
The new boss told Feng that taking notes during short calls was nonessential.
Kofi packed only one small bag and left every nonessential item back at the hotel.
Many features in the app are nonessential and can be turned off to save battery.
- unnecessary
more general everyday word; not limited to cuttable categories
- inessential
near-identical meaning, slightly more formal and bookish
- dispensable
emphasizes that something can be done without; often of people or items
- optional
frames the thing as a free choice rather than something cut for cost or safety
文法句型
nonessential + noun
be nonessential (to/for) + noun
用法筆記
Frequently appears in front of plural nouns such as 'workers', 'services', 'shops', 'travel', 'spending', or 'features' to mark a category that can be paused, cut, or removed during emergencies or cost-cutting.
常見錯誤
2. describing a substance, especially an amino acid or fatty acid, that the human b
describing a substance, especially an amino acid or fatty acid, that the human body can make for itself in large enough amounts, so people do not have to get it from food.
Alanine and glycine are nonessential amino acids that healthy adults can produce on their own.
domain: biology; attributive + amino acid
Dr. Tanvi reminded her students that nonessential nutrients still play a role in everyday health.
attributive + nutrient (head noun varies)
Some fatty acids are nonessential in adults but become essential for young babies.
The textbook lists eleven nonessential amino acids that the liver can build from other chemicals.
- dispensable
technical synonym in biochemistry; 'dispensable amino acid' is common in research papers
- essential
the matching biology term: an essential amino acid or fatty acid must come from food
文法句型
nonessential + amino acid / fatty acid / nutrient
用法筆記
Used almost only in nutrition and biology, typically before 'amino acid', 'fatty acid', or 'nutrient'. Distinguish from sense 1: here 'nonessential' does NOT mean unimportant — these substances are still useful; the point is that the body can make them.