The Latin word per se means “by itself”, “in itself”, or “intrinsically”. It is often used to refer to something’s inherent nature without considering it in relation to anything else.
Examples:
"The job isn't stressful per se, but the long commute makes it tiring" (Meaning the job itself is not stressful, but the commute is).
"It is not the money per se that makes them unhappy, but the single-minded pursuit of that money".