[f. as prec. + -ITY.]
1. The quality or fact of being essential.
1640. T. Goodwin, Justifying Faith, I. xiii. Wks. 1681, IV. 96 (R.). The Substantialness and Essentiality of a Promise relates to the actual Execution of it.
1646. Saltmarsh, Smoke in the Temple, 32. The onenesse, entirenesse, indivisibility, and essentiality of the Truth.
1874. Carpenter, Ment. Phys., I. viii. (1879), 351. There are many upon whom the essentiality of Intellectual and Moral discipline will … impress itself.
2. Essential character or nature; essence.
1616. R. C., Times’ Whis., I. 122. The mistery Of searching his [God’s] essentialitie.
1667. Jer. Taylor, Dissuas. Popery, II. I. § 4 146 (R.). This faith is perfected, as to the essentiality of it, in the Death and Resurrection of Christ.
1683. Pordage, Myst. Div., 79. Love’s Eternal Essentiality is that, out of which all pure simplified Spirits were brought forth.
1866. Carlyle, Edw. Irving, in Remin. (1881), I. 229. This ‘noble lady’ was in essentiality an artist.
3. An essential quality (rare); also pl. essential points or elements; essentials. Cf. ESSENTIAL B. 2.
1649. J. Ellistone, trans. Behmen’s Epist., I. 9. This essentiality is called Sophia, being the essentiall wisdome, or the body of Christ.
1710. Swift, in Examiner, No. 32, ¶ 3. The French … whose essentialities are generally so very superficial.
1821. Blackw. Mag., X. 322/2. When priests … shall forget the solemn essentialities of their office.
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., II. IX. iii. 425. In all the essentialities of it, there had not been … the least flaw.
