Origin: Latin suffix -ence
Essence has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience
"the gist of the prosecutor's argument"
"the heart and soul of the Republican Party"
"the nub of the story"
any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted
"The pharmacist carefully measured out the essence of mint to add a potent flavor to the herbal tea."
The inherent nature of an idea.
"The true essence of democracy is that every citizen has a voice in government decisions."
In plain English: Essence is the core quality that makes something what it truly is without any extra details.
"The essence of good cooking is to use fresh ingredients and plenty of flavor."
The word "essence" entered English via Middle French and originally meant the being or essential nature of a thing. It was created in Latin to translate an Ancient Greek term for existence derived from the verb "to be."