Where does “unneeded” come from?
Unneeded comes from English need, which derives from Proto-Indo-European óynos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ne and h₂ent-.
unneeded (English): Not needed
Ancestry of “unneeded”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | needed | Necessary; being required; simple past tense and... |
| 2 | English | need | A requirement for something; something needed;... |
| 3 | Middle English | need | — |
| 4 | Old English | nēod | desire, eagerness, earnest; desire, longing; need |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | *niudi | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | newdʰ- | seeking, need |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | new- | new; to nod, assent to |