Need
/niːd/noun
A requirement or necessity for something essential.
Did you know?In Old English, 'need' was linked to the concept of hardship and lack, making it a word steeped in survival and urgency.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ne-
“to negate or deny, indicating absence or lack.”
Old English
Old English
nēod
“A state of necessity or compulsion.”
Middle English
Middle English
nede
“A requirement or urgent need, often related to survival.”
Modern English
English
need
“A general term for a requirement or condition for something essential.”