Where does “need” come from?
need (Middle English) comes from Old English nēod, from Proto-West Germanic *niudi, from Proto-Indo-European newdʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European new- — new; to nod, assent to.
Ancestry of “need”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | nēod | desire, eagerness, earnest; desire, longing; need |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *niudi | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | newdʰ- | seeking, need |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | new- | new; to nod, assent to |
Words derived from “need”