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Definition of essen
essen
/ˈɛs.ən/
Es · sen
essen Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
8
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A major industrial city in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of western Germany, located in the central Ruhr area and historically known for its prominent coal and steel industries.
Example
"During the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Essen became one of Germany's most critical hubs for heavy industry and steel manufacturing."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an English word, Essen is exclusively used as a proper noun and must always be capitalized.
• Rhymes for essen
Word Origin & Etymology
The name of the German city was first recorded in the 9th century as 'Astnide', which may derive from an Old Saxon word referring to a region of ash trees or potentially an area in the east.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Essen. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/essen