essence

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essence (theol.) substance XIV; †existence, being XVI; that by which a thing is what it is; chemical (etc.) extract of a substance; perfume XVII. — (O)F. — L. essentia, f. *essent-, assumed prp. stem of esse be, on the model of Gr. ousíā, f. ont-, prp. stem of eînai be.
So essential XIV — late L. essentiālis.

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