nonessential C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities US /ˌnɑnɪˈsɛnʃəl/ UK /ˌnɒnɪˈsɛnʃəl/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 adj not absolutely necessary During the shortage, nonessential travel was discouraged. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 adj · not absolutely necessary unnecessarysuperfluousdispensableinessentialexpendableunimportant ↔ Opposites essentialnecessaryvitalindispensable Word family Related forms essentialessence Etymology AI details From non- ('not') + essential, from Late Latin essentialis, from essentia ('essence, being'), from esse ('to be'). essentialis Latin esse Latin View etymology graph -> Topics Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # nonessential **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /ˌnɑnɪˈsɛnʃəl/ **IPA (UK):** /ˌnɒnɪˈsɛnʃəl/ ## Meanings 1. not absolutely necessary ## Examples - During the shortage, nonessential travel was discouraged. ## Synonyms - unnecessary - superfluous - dispensable - inessential - expendable - unimportant ## Antonyms - essential - necessary - vital - indispensable ## Related Forms - essential - essence ## Roots and Affixes - Root: essentialis - Root: esse ## Etymology From non- ('not') + essential, from Late Latin essentialis, from essentia ('essence, being'), from esse ('to be'). ## AI Etymology Nonessential comes from non- ('not') + essential, from Late Latin essentialis, from essentia ('essence, being'), from esse ('to be'). The etymological trail includes Latin essentialis, Latin esse. The same word family includes essential, essence. Its current adjective use means "not absolutely necessary". ## Topics - Describing Qualities - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown