Princeton's WordNet

1. kernel, substance, core, center, centre, essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-gritty(noun)

   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"

2. essence(noun)

   any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted

3. effect, essence, burden, core, gist(noun)

   the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work

4. perfume, essence(noun)

   a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

1. essence(noun)ˈɛs əns

   the central and unique identity of sth

   a song that expresses the essence of the band's music

Wiktionary

1. essence(Noun)

   The inherent nature of a thing or idea.

2. essence(Noun)

   A significant feature of something.

3. essence(Noun)

   The concentrated form of a plant or drug obtained through a distillation process.

4. essence(Noun)

   Fragrance, a perfume.

5. essence(Noun)

   The true nature of anything, not accidental or illusory.

Webster Dictionary

1. Essence(noun)

   the constituent elementary notions which constitute a complex notion, and must be enumerated to define it; sometimes called the nominal essence

2. Essence(noun)

   the constituent quality or qualities which belong to any object, or class of objects, or on which they depend for being what they are (distinguished as real essence); the real being, divested of all logical accidents; that quality which constitutes or marks the true nature of anything; distinctive character; hence, virtue or quality of a thing, separated from its grosser parts

3. Essence(noun)

   constituent substance

4. Essence(noun)

   a being; esp., a purely spiritual being

5. Essence(noun)

   the predominant qualities or virtues of a plant or drug, extracted and refined from grosser matter; or, more strictly, the solution in spirits of wine of a volatile or essential oil; as, the essence of mint, and the like

6. Essence(noun)

   perfume; odor; scent; or the volatile matter constituting perfume

7. Essence(verb)

   to perfume; to scent

• weseAfrikaans
• جَوْهَرArabic
• същностBulgarian
• essênciaPortuguese (BR)
• podstataCzech
• das WesentlicheGerman
• essens; (det) væsentligeDanish
• ουσία, κύριο στοιχείοGreek
• esenciaSpanish
• tuumEstonian
• اساس؛ اصلFarsi
• ydinFinnish
• essence (mème)French
• עִיקָרHebrew
• तत्व, गुण, सार, भाव, मूल वस्तुHindi
• bit, sržCroatian
• intiIndonesian
• kjarni, innsta eðliIcelandic
• essenzaItalian
• 本質Japanese
• 본질, 진수Korean
• esmėLithuanian
• būtība; galvenaisLatvian
• ramuanMalay
• essentieDutch
• det vesentlige, kjerneNorwegian
• istotaPolish
• اساس؛ اصلPersian
• جوهر، تومنه، اصل، طبيعت، وږم، عطرPashto
• essênciaPortuguese
• esenţăRomanian
• сущностьRussian
• podstataSlovak
• bistvoSlovenian
• suštinaSerbian
• innersta väsen (natur), grunddrag, huvudsakSwedish
• แก่น; ใจความThai
• öz, esasTurkish
• 本質Chinese (Trad.)
• суть, істотністьUkrainian
• اہم ترین حصہ یا عنصرUrdu
• bản chấtVietnamese
• 本质Chinese (Simp.)