Essentials Meaning, Examples & Usage Guide

Meaning 1：basic necessities (Essentials)

Essentials 🔊

/ɪˈsɛnʃəlz/

The most important and necessary things you need for daily life or a specific task.

Shopping cart with bread milk fruits soap representing daily essentials

basic necessities 🔊

➕

/ˈbeɪsɪk nəˈsɛsɪtiz/

Items or things that are absolutely necessary for living, working, or completing a particular purpose.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'essentia' (being, essence) + '-al' (adjective suffix) + '-s' (plural).

💡 Mnemonic

ESSENTIALS = 'ESS' as in 'ESSence' of what you need; think of packing only the core items for a trip.

📖 Example

When setting up your first home, focus on buying the essentials like a bed, a pot for cooking, and some towels. 🔊 When setting up your first home, focus on buying the essentials like a bed, a pot for cooking, and some towels.

🔗 Collocations

daily essentials – items needed every day

essential items – necessary things

pack the essentials – bring only the most needed items

🔄 Synonyms

necessities (n.) – things that are required for a particular purpose

basics (n.) – fundamental items or principles

must-haves (n.) – items that are considered essential or obligatory

🚫 Antonyms

luxuries (n.) – items that are not necessary but provide pleasure or comfort

extras (n.) – additional things beyond the basic needs

non-essentials (n.) – things that are not required or unnecessary

🌱 Derivatives

essential (adj.) – absolutely necessary or extremely important

essentially (adv.) – in essence; basically or fundamentally

essence (n.) – the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'essentia' through Old French 'essentiel'. In modern English, 'essentials' commonly refers to basic items needed for daily life or specific tasks.