ESSENCE

n. 1 quintessence, quiddity, (essential) nature, substance, spirit, being, heart, core, pith, kernel, marrow, soul, significance, (active) principle, crux, cornerstone, foundation-stone, Colloq bottom line The essence of her argument is that animals have the same rights as people 2 extract, concentrate, distillate, elixir, tincture The room smelled faintly of essence of roses 3 in essence. essentially, basically, fundamentally, materially, substantially, at bottom, in the final analysis, au fond; in effect, virtually In essence, there is little to choose between Trotskyism and Stalinism 4 of the essence. essential, critical, crucial, vital, indispensable, requisite, important In this job, time is of the essence