Essene

E1S1S1E1N1E1

noun

A member of a first-century ascetic Jewish sect in ancient Palestine from the second century BCE to the second century CE. The Essenes are believed to have been the authors of the Dead Sea scrolls.

OriginAncient Greek Ἐσσηνοι →
UncommonScrabble 6
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Meanings

nounEssene (plural Essenes)

plural Essenes

  1. historicalA member of a first-century ascetic Jewish sect in ancient Palestine from the second century BCE to the second century CE. The Essenes are believed to have been the authors of the Dead Sea scrolls.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
essenian

Origin

  1. Ancient GreekἘσσηνοι
  2. EnglishEssene

From Ancient Greek Ἐσσηνοι (Essēnoi); earlier etymology unknown

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech esejec
  • esejecmember of first-century Jewish sect
Finnish essealainen
  • essealainenmember of first-century Jewish sect
Irish Eiséanach
  • Eiséanachmember of first-century Jewish sect
Italian esseno
  • essenomember of first-century Jewish sect
Swedish essé
  • essémember of first-century Jewish sect

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Senese
Cite this entry
APA

Essene. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Essene

MLA

“Essene.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Essene. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Essene,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Essene.

Source: Essene on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.