Meaning & Definition of word "Nonessential"
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Nonessential
/nɒn.ɪˈsɛn.ʃəl/
noun:
- 1. A thing that is not essential.
- Example: Cutting out nonessentials from our budget can help us save more money.
adjective:
- 1. Not essential; not necessary or crucial.
- Example: The report included many nonessential details that could have been omitted.
- 2. Not required for survival or basic functioning.
- Example: Nonessential services were suspended during the pandemic to prioritize health and safety.
- 3. Of secondary importance.
- Example: In a crisis, it’s important to focus on essential tasks and eliminate nonessential activities.
Etymology
Derived from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and 'essential' from Latin 'essentia' meaning 'being' or 'essence'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
nonessential workers:
Employees who are not critical to business operations.
nonessential services:
Services that are not necessary for the basic functioning of society.
nonessential goods:
Products that are not crucial, often considered luxury items.
Related Words
essential:
Absolutely necessary; extremely important.
necessity:
The fact of being required or indispensable.
extraneous:
Irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with.
Slang Meanings of nonessential
Meaning: Fluff
Example Sentence: This report is full of fluff; let's focus on nonessential details.
Meaning: Add-ons
Example Sentence: Those add-ons are nonessential to the main feature of the app.