verb
- reduced to or treated as an essential nature or unchanging characteristic; portrayed as inherent or fundamental rather than socially constructed
Usage: chiefly British spelling (American: essentialized); often used in critical or academic contexts, especially in discussions of identity, gender, and social categories
Examples
- The theory essentialised gender as a fixed biological category rather than a social construct.
- Critics argued that the film essentialised African identity by relying on stereotypes.
- By essentialising race, the old framework ignored the complexity of individual experience.
- The author essentialised women's roles, treating them as naturally suited to domestic work.
- Scholars have essentialised certain cultural traits, overlooking their historical development.