Inklingo
Dictionary

esencia

eh-SEHN-syaheˈsen.θja

“esencia” means “essence” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

essenceC1Noun

fundamental nature

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extractB1Noun

concentrated flavor or scent

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essenceAlso: core, heart

NounfC1
A simplified illustration of a vibrant red apple cut in half, showing a small, glowing core at its center, symbolizing its fundamental nature.

📝 In Action

La esencia de su filosofía es la simplicidad.

B2

The essence of his philosophy is simplicity.

En esencia, todos buscamos la felicidad.

C1

In essence, we are all looking for happiness.

Perder la esencia de uno mismo es el mayor miedo.

C1

Losing one's true self is the greatest fear.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • en esencia – in essence / fundamentally
  • la verdadera esencia – the true essence

extractAlso: essential oil, fragrance

NounfB1
A clear glass dropper bottle containing a small amount of dark, concentrated amber liquid, sitting next to a small heap of fresh, vibrant purple lavender flowers.

📝 In Action

Añade unas gotas de esencia de limón al glaseado.

B1

Add a few drops of lemon extract to the frosting.

Compré una esencia de lavanda para el difusor.

B1

I bought a lavender essential oil for the diffuser.

Esta colonia tiene una esencia dulce muy agradable.

B2

This cologne has a very pleasant sweet fragrance.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • esencia de vainilla – vanilla extract
  • esencia floral – floral fragrance

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "esencia" in Spanish:

coreessenceessential oilextractfragranceheart

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: esencia

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'esencia' in the concrete sense (extract/fragrance)?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
esencial(essential) — Adjective
esencialmente(essentially) — Adverb
🎵 Rhymes
concienciapresencia
📚 Etymology

Comes directly from the Latin word 'essentia', which was created by the Roman philosopher Cicero. He needed a Latin word to translate the Greek philosophical concept of 'ousia,' which means 'being' or 'the fundamental nature of something.'

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: essenceFrench: essence

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Frequently Asked Questions

¿Por qué es 'la esencia' y no 'el esencia'?

The word 'esencia' is always feminine because nearly all Spanish nouns that end in the combination -cia, like 'paciencia' (patience) or 'gracia' (grace), are feminine.