The Clue
Hardly extraneous (9 letter answer)
The Answer
ESSENTIAL
Tags
Notes
The answer ESSENTIAL is rarely seen, appearing only about once every 1800 puzzles.
Related Clues
Basic
Intrinsic
Required
Hardly necessary
Like many nutrients
Definition
ESSENTIAL as a noun:
1. (necessity, essential, requirement, requisite, necessary) = anything indispensable; "food and shelter are necessities of life"; "the essentials of the good life"; "allow farmers to buy their requirements under favorable conditions"; "a place where the requisites of water fuel and fodder can be obtained"
ESSENTIAL as an adjective:
1. (essential, indispensable) = absolutely necessary; vitally necessary; "essential tools and materials"; "funds essential to the completion of the project"; "an indispensable worker"
2. basic and fundamental; "the essential feature"
3. (all-important, all important, crucial, essential, of the essence) = of the greatest importance; "the all-important subject of disarmament"; "crucial information"; "in chess cool nerves are of the essence"
4. being or relating to or containing the essence of a plant etc; "essential oil"
5. (substantive, essential) = defining rights and duties as opposed to giving the rules by which rights and duties are established; "substantive law"
6. absolutely required and not to be used up or sacrificed