We explain what is essential, the origin of the term and its current meaning. In addition, various synonyms and antonyms of the term.
What is being essential?
When we speak of something essential, we are affirming that it is something necessary, obligatory, indispensable, that is, it is not possible to do without it. The term is the antonym dispensable, which is that accessory, optional, that is not necessary or mandatory.
Both expendable and essential come from the Latin verb praescindere, composed by prae- ("Before", "forward") and scindere ("Cut", "separate"), so that its primitive meaning has to do with that which cannot be separated, which cannot be "cut" into two parts and choose one, but is always attached, complete.
This figurative sense survives to this day. When we say that an object is essential to carry out an operation, we affirm that the latter cannot be carried out without said object: “A screwdriver is essential when removing a screw ”.
Similarly, a person or knowledge is essential when it is absolutely necessary to do something: "To win this game it will be essential to have a good forward" or "If you want to fix a computer it is essential to have technical knowledge”.
Are synonyms of essential: necessary, obligatory, forced, inevitable, indispensable. Instead, they are antonyms: expendable, optional, optional, dispensable, expendable.