essence (
http://definr.com/essence)
n 1: the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some
idea or experience: "the gist of the prosecutor's
argument"; "the heart and soul of the Republican Party";
"the nub of the story" [syn:
kernel,
substance,
core,
center,
gist,
heart,
heart and soul,
inwardness,
marrow,
meat,
nub,
pith,
sum,
nitty-gritty]
2: any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant
properties of a plant or drug or other natural product
from which it is extracted
3: the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
[syn:
effect,
burden,
core,
gist]
4: a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor [syn:
perfume]