Learn Greek › A2 › ουσία
ουσία
essence /uˈsi.a/
nounA2#968 most common
Also: substance, gist, the point (crux)
Example sentences
Αυτή η ουσία είναι επικίνδυνη.
This substance is dangerous.
Στην ουσία, συμφωνούμε.
Essentially, we agree.
Η ουσία του προβλήματος είναι τα χρήματα.
The essence of the problem is money.
Δεν με ενδιαφέρουν οι λεπτομέρειες, αλλά η ουσία του θέματος.
I'm not interested in the details, but in the heart of the matter.
Στην ουσία της, η πρότασή του δεν διαφέρει από την παλιά.
In its essence, his proposal does not differ from the old one.
Για τον Αριστοτέλη, η ουσία είναι εκείνο που κάνει ένα ον να είναι αυτό που είναι.
For Aristotle, substance is that which makes a being be what it is.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ουσία | ουσίες |
| Genitive | ουσίας | ουσιών |
| Accusative | ουσία | ουσίες |
| Vocative | ουσία | ουσίες |
Word family
ουσιώδηςessential, substantial
ουσιαστικόςsubstantial, essential
ουσιαστικάessentially, basically
ουσιαστικόnoun (grammatical term), substantive
Etymology
Inherited from Ancient Greek οὐσία ('being, essence, substance'), an abstract noun formed from οὖσα, the feminine present participle of the verb εἰμί ('to be'), plus the abstract suffix -ία. It thus literally denotes 'being-ness' or 'that which is.' Latin essentia was coined as a calque of it, which is the source of English 'essence.'
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