essentialism

[ uh-sen-shuh-liz-uhm ]

noun

1. Philosophy. a doctrine that the inward, or essential, nature of most things is invariable, as opposed to the properties that are accidental, phenomenal, illusory, etc.
2. Education. a doctrine that certain traditional concepts, ideals, and skills are essential to society and should be taught methodically to all students, regardless of individual ability, need, etc. Compare progressive education ( def ).

essentialism

/ ɪˈsɛnʃəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. philosophy one of a number of related doctrines which hold that there are necessary properties of things, that these are logically prior to the existence of the individuals which instantiate them, and that their classification depends upon their satisfaction of sets of necessary conditions
2. the doctrine that education should concentrate on teaching basic skills and encouraging intellectual self-discipline

Derived Forms

• esˈsentialist, noun

Other Words From

• es·sen·tial·ist noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of essentialism¹

First recorded in 1935–40; essential + -ism

Example Sentences

The memes about Taylor Swift’s new rumored relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce are fun and all—but the gender essentialism is a bit much.

From Slate

The conversation around “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” runs the risk of relying on lazy stereotypes about gender essentialism and taste: men are from Mars, and women are from Venus; “Oppenheimer” is for boys, and “Barbie” is for girls.

From New York Times

I think unfortunately, the ideals of motherhood that we hold near and dear in this country are still so firmly rooted in white supremacy, in gender essentialism, in class, and ableism.

From Salon

Some put themselves somewhere in the middle on the essentialism scale.

From New York Times

“Watch out for the essentialism trap,” she said.

From New York Times