nonessential

/ˌnän-i-ˈsen(t)-shəl/ (ame, mw)

nonessential — 形容詞

  • nonessentialpositive
  • more nonessentialcomparative
  • most nonessentialsuperlative

1. not needed in order for something to work, exist, or succeed; able to be removed

1.形容詞B2
釋義

非必要的

可省去、不影響運作的

not needed in order for something to work, exist, or succeed; able to be removed or skipped without causing real problems.

例句

During the lockdown, all nonessential shops in Taipei had to close their doors.

封城期間，台北所有非必要的商店都必須關門。

attributive: nonessential + noun (collective)

Allison cut every nonessential expense from her monthly budget after losing her job.

Allison 失業之後，把每月預算中所有非必要的開銷都刪掉了。

attributive: nonessential + noun (concept)

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • essential

    the direct opposite — needed for something to work or exist

  • vital

    stronger than 'essential'; needed for survival or success

  • necessary

    general antonym; what cannot be left out

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

❌This meeting is nonessential to me.
✅This meeting is nonessential for my work.
💡use 'for' (or no preposition at all) rather than 'to' when naming the activity or goal.

2. describing a substance, especially an amino acid or fatty acid, that the human b

2.形容詞C1
釋義

非必需的

人體能自行合成、不需從飲食攝取

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.

例句

Alanine and glycine are nonessential amino acids that healthy adults can produce on their own.

丙胺酸和甘胺酸是非必需胺基酸，健康的成年人可以自己合成。

domain: biology; attributive + amino acid

Dr. Tanvi reminded her students that nonessential nutrients still play a role in everyday health.

Tanvi 醫師提醒學生，非必需的營養素在日常健康中仍然扮演角色。

attributive + nutrient (head noun varies)

同義詞
  • dispensable

    technical synonym in biochemistry; 'dispensable amino acid' is common in research papers

反義詞
  • 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.

常見錯誤

❌Nonessential amino acids are not important for the body.
✅Nonessential amino acids are still important; the body just makes them on its own.
💡'nonessential' here only means 'not required from the diet', not 'unimportant'.