wesentlicher

Wesentlicher is a German adjective that serves as the comparative form of wesentlich, meaning more essential or more substantial. It is used to indicate that one aspect is more central, important, or fundamental than another. The base form wesentlich carries the sense of being essential, necessary, or integral.

In practice, wesentlicher is declined like other adjectives. With an indefinite article or without a determiner, the masculine singular form is used as wesentlicher, as in ein wesentlicher Unterschied or ein wesentlicher Bestandteil. After a definite article, the common form for masculine singular is wesentliche, as in der wesentliche Unterschied (though the standard phrasing would be der wesentliche Unterschied). The adjective agrees with gender, number, and case, so feminine and neuter forms, as well as plural endings, follow standard patterns.

Etymology traces wesentlicher to wesentlich, which derives from Wesen (being, essence) with the suffix -lich, forming a sense of “pertaining to essence.” The related noun form das Wesentliche denotes the essential part, the gist, or the main point in discourse.

In usage beyond everyday speech, wesentlicher often appears in philosophical, legal, or analytical contexts to contrast essential versus accidental or to highlight core elements of a concept, argument, or design. It is closely related to synonyms such as wesentlich, entscheidend, and maßgeblich, while das Wesentliche can function as a substantive reference to the core content.