Accident vs. Essence — What's the Difference?

An accident is an unintended, normally unwanted event that was not directly caused by humans. The term accident implies that nobody should be blamed, but the event may have been caused by unrecognized or unaddressed risks.

Essence (Latin: essentia) is a polysemic term, used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property or set of properties that make an entity or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it loses its identity. Essence is contrasted with accident: a property that the entity or substance has contingently, without which the substance can still retain its identity.

An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury

The intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, which determines its character

An event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause

An extract or concentrate obtained from a plant or other matter and used for flavouring or scent

(in Aristotelian thought) a property of a thing which is not essential to its nature.

The intrinsic or indispensable quality or qualities that serve to characterize or identify something

An unexpected and undesirable event, especially one resulting in damage or harm

(Philosophy) The inherent, unchanging nature of a thing or class of things, especially as contrasted with its existence.

An unforeseen event that is not the result of intention or has no apparent cause

The most important part or aspect of something

An instance of involuntary urination or defecation.

An extract that has the fundamental properties of a substance in concentrated form.

Lack of intention; chance

Such an extract in a solution of alcohol.

(Philosophy) An attribute of a substance that is not essential to its nature.

A perfume or scent.

An unexpected event with negative consequences occurring without the intention of the one suffering the consequences, and (in the strict sense) not directly caused by humans.

One that has or shows an abundance of a quality as if highly concentrated

(legal) casus; such unforeseen, extraordinary, extraneous interference as is out of the range of ordinary calculation.

Something that exists, especially a spiritual or incorporeal entity.

(transportation) A collision or crash of a vehicle, aircraft, or other form of transportation that causes damage to the transportation involved; and sometimes injury or death to the transportation's occupants or bystanders in close proximity.

The inherent nature of a thing or idea.

Any chance event.

(philosophy) The true nature of anything, not accidental or illusory.

(uncountable) Chance; random chance.

Constituent substance.

Any property, fact, or relation that is the result of chance or is nonessential or nonsubstantive.

A being; especially, a purely spiritual being.

(grammar) A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, such as gender, number, or case.

A significant feature of something.

(euphemistic) An instance of incontinence.

The concentrated form of a plant or drug obtained through a distillation process.

Urine or feces excreted due to incontinence.

An extract or concentrate obtained from a plant or other matter used for flavouring, or as a restorative.

(euphemistic) An unintended pregnancy.

Fragrance, a perfume.

A person born from an unintended pregnancy.

The constituent elementary notions which constitute a complex notion, and must be enumerated to define it; sometimes called the nominal essence.

(geology) An irregular surface feature with no apparent cause.

The constituent quality or qualities which belong to any object, or class of objects, or on which they depend for being what they are (distinguished as real essence); the real being, divested of all logical accidents; that quality which constitutes or marks the true nature of anything; distinctive character; hence, virtue or quality of a thing, separated from its grosser parts.

(geology) A sudden discontinuity of ground such as fault of great thickness, bed or lentil of unstable ground.{{cite book|

Constituent substance.

(heraldry) A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms.

A being; esp., a purely spiritual being.

(transportation) Designating any form of transportation involved in an accident.

The predominant qualities or virtues of a plant or drug, extracted and refined from grosser matter; or, more strictly, the solution in spirits of wine of a volatile or essential oil; as, the essence of mint, and the like.

Literally, a befalling; an event that takes place without one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and unexpected event; chance; contingency; often, an undesigned and unforeseen occurrence of an afflictive or unfortunate character; a casualty; a mishap; as, to die by an accident.

Perfume; odor; scent; or the volatile matter constituting perfume.

A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, as gender, number, case.

To perfume; to scent.

A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms.

The choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience;

A property or quality of a thing which is not essential to it, as whiteness in paper; an attribute.

Any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted

Any accidental property, fact, or relation; an accidental or nonessential; as, beauty is an accident.

The central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work

Unusual appearance or effect.

A toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor

A mishap; especially one causing injury or death

Anything that happens by chance without an apparent cause