essentially
UK[ɪˈsen.ʃəl.i]US[ɪˈsen.ʃəl.i]
adv
Used to emphasize the basic, fundamental, or most important aspect of something.
adv
In essence; at the most basic level.
Morpheme Breakdown
essent
ial
ly
essent
being, essence
ial
adjective suffix
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
The word 'essentially' is built upon the Latin verb esse, meaning "to be," which is itself from the Proto-Indo-European root h₁es- (to be). From esse came the abstract noun essentia, signifying "being" or "intrinsic nature." This entered English as "essence." The adjective-forming suffix -ial was added to create "essential," meaning "of or relating to the intrinsic nature." Finally, the adverbial suffix -ly, of Germanic origin, was appended. Thus, 'essentially' literally means "in a manner pertaining to the intrinsic nature," evolving to signify what is fundamentally and indispensably true about a subject.
Analysis
Structure: essent (being, essence) + ial (adjective suffix) + ly (adverb suffix)
- essent: From Latin essentia (being, essence), derived from esse (to be). In this word, it functions as the core root conveying the concept of intrinsic nature.
- ial: A suffix of Latin origin (-ialis) used to form adjectives meaning "of or pertaining to."
- ly: A suffix of Old English origin (-lice) used to form adverbs from adjectives.
Examples
The plan is essentially sound, though it needs a few minor adjustments.
He argued that all humans are essentially equal.
The two systems are essentially the same, despite their different names.