nonessential

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌnɑnɪˈsɛnʃəl/ UK /ˌnɒnɪˈsɛnʃəl/ See IPA manual

adj noun

Meanings

1

adj
not absolutely necessary

During the shortage, nonessential travel was discouraged.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not absolutely necessary unnecessary superfluous dispensable inessential expendable unimportant

Opposites

essential necessary vital indispensable

Word family

Related forms essential essence

Etymology

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

# nonessential

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**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

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nonessential

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