Essene: Meaning and Definition of

Es•sene

Pronunciation: (es'ēn, e-sēn'), [key]
— n. Judaism.
  1. a member of a Palestinian sect, characterized by asceticism, celibacy, and joint holding of property, that flourished from the 2nd century b.c. to the 2nd century a.d.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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