Plural of essence; the most important, fundamental, or characteristic feature of something, or concentrated forms of flavoring or fragrance.
From essence (Latin essentia) + -s (plural). Essentia comes from esse (to be), so essence literally means 'the being-ness of something.'
Philosophers and perfume makers use the exact same word for completely different things—a paradox that shows how language keeps ancient meanings alive in modern contexts!
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