lessència

Lessència is a nonstandard variant of the Catalan word essència, meaning essence. Essence refers to the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality that defines a thing and makes it what it is, distinguishing it from accidental properties that can change without altering identity. The term is used in philosophy and everyday language to denote the core character or essential meaning of something.

Origins and philosophy: The word derives from Latin essentia, via Catalan. In philosophy, essentialism holds that objects have essential properties that determine their identity. Aristotle distinguished essence from accident; later thinkers debated whether essences exist independently of language and whether they are discoverable. In contemporary metaphysics, discussions examine the reality and nature of essences across possible worlds.

Uses: In science and daily speech, essència appears in contexts such as essential oils (òle essencial) and descriptions of a phenomenon’s core nature—for example, capturing the essence of a work. The term functions as a concise way to indicate the most important, defining aspect of a thing or idea.

Orthography: Modern Catalan standard is essència; lessència is rarely used and generally considered nonstandard or historic. See also: Essence (philosophy), Essential oil.