unessentialadj.n.
/ˌʌnᵻˈsɛnʃl/, U.S. /ˌənᵻˈsɛn(t)ʃəl/ 1. Possessing no essence or substance; immaterial.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > materiality > immateriality > [adjective]
bodilessa1398
matterlessa1398
unmateriala1398
unbodily1398
immaterialc1450
metaphysic1528
incorporeal1532
incorporate1540
incorporal1551
uncorporal1567
metaphysical1577
unphysical1593
limbless1594
corpseless1596
unbodied1609
immateriate1626
incorporeous1638
uncarnate1646
unmattered1647
incorporificated1651
unembodied1662
unessential1667
inessential1677
unelementarya1706
unelementateda1706
unincarnate1709
immechanical1715
asomatous1731
unincorporate1821
unfleshly1834
ethereal1836
non-material1847
non-physical1856
unincarnated1859
discorporate1888
transubstantial1892
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ii. 439 The void profound Of unessential Night receives him next. View more context for this quotation
1727 J. Thomson Summer 15 Prime Chearer, Light!..Without whose vesting Beauty, all were wrapt In unessential Gloom.
1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued II. iii. 505 Ask me by what authority of history I prove that Regulus had any notion of..the unessential nature of justice.
1827 R. Pollok Course of Time I. iii. 108 Most unsubstantial, unessential shade, Was earthly Fame.
2.
a. Not pertaining to or affecting the essence of a matter; unimportant.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [adjective]
toyous1581
unpregnant1604
unconcerning1612
immomenta1616
importlessa1616
nothinga1616
unmomentary1624
unimportingc1625
unessential1634
matterlessa1650
inconcerning1650
nugacious1652
of good, bad, etc., consequence1654
immomentary1662
immomentous1726
unmomentous1735
unimportant1750
unconsequential1769
inconsequential1782
nothingless1822
small fry1828
uninterest1890
non-entitious1952
nothingburger1965
1634 Bp. J. Hall Contempl. Hist. New Test. (STC 12640.7) i. 374 Neither difference of time, nor distance of place,..nor any unessentiall error can barre our interest in this blessed unity.
1716 J. Addison Freeholder No. 39. ⁋5 Those, who differed from him in the unessential Parts of Christianity.
1749 W. Melmoth Lett. by Sir Thomas Fitzosborne II. 97 So far is he from thinking it unessential, that he acknowledged it as the only separation which distinguishes them from prose.
1838 T. Arnold Hist. Rome (1845) I. 166 A form..as unessential as the crowd's acceptance of the king at an English coronation.
1873 M. Arnold Lit. & Dogma vi. 161 This excludes as unessential much of the criticism which [etc.].
b. absol. That which is not essential.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [adjective] > unessential
indifferent1563
of indifferency1564
unfundamental1638
dispensable1649
recrementitious1650
immaterial1698
recrementory1822
unessential1841
1841 T. Carlyle On Heroes iv. 224 He distinguishes what is essential, and what is not; the unessential may go as it will.
1841–8 F. Myers Catholic Thoughts II. iii. §33. 120 Who is to determine..the limit of the Unessential?
3. n. An unessential thing or feature.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [noun] > that which is unimportant > unessential
indifferency1643
non-essential1806
unessential1828
indifferentiala1834
1828–32 N. Webster Amer. Dict. Eng. Lang. (at cited word) Forms are among the unessentials of religion.
1876 J. Stainer & W. A. Barrett Dict. Musical Terms 444/2 Unessentials, notes not forming a necessary part of the harmony. Passing, auxiliary, or ornamental notes.
1882 C. L. Morgan in Nature 28 Sept. 523/2 A general conception..is arrived at by abstracting the essentials and neglecting the unessentials.
Derivatives
uneˈssentially adv.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [adverb] > unessentially
unessentially1856
1847 Webster's Amer. Dict. Eng. Lang. ]
1856 F. L. Olmsted Journey Slave States 182 With a climate so unessentially dissimiliar.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1634