What does the word essential mean?

Usage examples for essential

  1. I must insist upon the honesty- it is an essential of successful business, taken by and large. – The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) Last Updated: February 18, 2009
  2. I have already made the point, and I cannot make it too frequently, that time is often the essential element in war- and in this case it was of vital importance. – The Victory At Sea by William Sowden Sims Burton J. Hendrick
  3. Indeed, it had been an essential part of his plan. – A Woman's Burden by Fergus Hume