: a member of a monastic brotherhood of Jews in Palestine from the second century b.c. to the second century a.d.

Word History

Etymology

Greek Essēnos

First Known Use

1553, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Essene was in 1553

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Cite this Entry

“Essene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Essene. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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