1. A vital or indispensable passage or extract from a text, document, or work that captures key information or meaning
The essential excerpt from the report highlighted the main findings.
O trecho essencial do relatório destacou os principais resultados.
2. A fundamental or core section of written material that is necessary to understand the complete message
She read only the essential excerpts from the novel for the exam.
Ela leu apenas os trechos essenciais do romance para o exame.