Where does “need” come from?
Need comes from Middle English neden, Old English nēodian, and Proto-Germanic naudiz, originally meaning to compel or be under necessity.
need (English): A requirement for something; something needed;...
Definitions
- A requirement for something; something needed;...
Ancestry of “need”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | need | — |
| 2 | Old English | nēod | desire, eagerness, earnest; desire, longing; need |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *niudi | desire, eagerness |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | newdʰ- | seeking, need |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | new- | new; to nod, assent to |
Words derived from “need”