ETYM French essence, Latin essentia, formed as if from a p. pr. of esse to be. Related to Is, Entity.
Any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted.
In philosophy, all that makes a thing what it is and is indispensable to the thing. Philosophers have often distinguished nominal essences from real essences. A nominal essence is a group of terms used to define a concept: thus, the nominal essence of the concept of a horse could be “anything that neighs and has a mane and four legs”. A real essence is either a group of universals objectively given in nature (this is also called a form) or (as in the work of John Locke) the underlying structure of an object; for example, its atomic structure. + prikaži više

1. The tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object; SYN. stuff.
2. Equipment needed for doing or making something; or
3. Information (data or ideas or observations) that can be reworked into a finished form
4. A person judged suitable for admission or employment

ETYM Old Eng. matere, French matičre, from Latin materia; perh. akin to Latin mater mother. Related to Mother, Madeira, Material.
In physics, anything that has mass and can be detected and measured. All matter is made up of atoms, which in turn are made up of elementary particles; it exists ordinarily as a solid, liquid, or gas. The history of science and philosophy is largely taken up with accounts of theories of matter, ranging from the hard “atoms” of Democritus to the “waves” of modern quantum theory.
1. Substance; material.
2. Importance; significance.
3. The subject at hand; a topic.
4. A vaguely specified concern; SYN. affair, thing.
5. A problem.
6. Written material (especially in books or magazines); SYN. material.
7. (Used with negation) Having consequence. + prikaži više

ETYM French, from Latin substantia, from substare to be under or present, to stand firm; sub under + stare to stand. Related to Stand.
1. That which has mass and occupies space; SYN. matter.
2. The stuff of which an object consists.