2a : of the utmost importance : basic, indispensable, necessary an essential requirement for admission to collegeb : being a substance that is not synthesized by the body in a quantity sufficient for normal health and growth and that must be obtained from the diet a vegetable oil rich in essential fatty acids â see also essential fatty acid â ...
Meaning of âcronyismâ in the English Dictionary. See all translations. uk â /ËkrÉÊ.ni.Éªzm/ us â /ËkroÊ.ni.Éªzm/ disapproving. âº the situation in which someone important gives jobs to friends rather than to independent people who have the necessary skills and experience.
Nepotism is an even narrower form of favoritism. Coming from the Italian word for nephew, it covers favoritism to members of the family. Both nepotism and cronyism are often at work when political parties recruit candidates for public office.