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Essence vs Descent - What's the difference?

essence | descent |

As nouns the difference between essence and descent

is that essence is (inherent nature)The inherent nature of a thing or idea while descent is an instance of descending.

essence

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (senseid)The inherent nature of a thing or idea.
  • * Landor
  • The laws are at present, both in form and essence , the greatest curse that society labours under.
  • * Addison
  • Gifts and alms are the expressions, not the essence of this virtue [charity].
  • * Courthorpe
  • The essence of Addison's humour is irony.
  • (philosophy) The true nature of anything, not accidental or illusory.
  • Constituent substance.
  • * Milton
  • Uncompounded is their essence pure.
  • A being; especially, a purely spiritual being.
  • * Milton
  • As far as gods and heavenly essences / Can perish.
  • * Washington Irving
  • He had been indulging in fanciful speculations on spiritual essences , until he had an ideal world of his own around him.
  • A significant feature of something.
  • The concentrated form of a plant or drug obtained through a distillation process.
  • * essence of Jojoba
  • Fragrance, a perfume.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Nor let the essences exhale.

    Derived terms

    * in essence * of the essence; time is of the essence

    Anagrams

    * ----

    descent

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An instance of descending
  • We climbed the mountain with difficulty, but the descent was easier.
  • * 2012 , July 15. Richard Williams in Guardian Unlimited, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track
  • The next one surrendered his bike, only for that, too, to give him a second flat as he started the descent .
  • A way down.
  • We had difficulty in finding the correct descent .
  • A sloping passage or incline.
  • The descent into the cavern was wet and slippery.
  • Lineage or hereditary derivation
  • Our guide was of Welsh descent .
  • A drop to a lower status or condition.
  • After that, the holiday went into a steep descent .

    Usage notes

    * Sometimes confused with (decent).

    Antonyms

    * (going down) ascent

    Anagrams

    *