necessity
UK[nɪˈsesəti]US[nəˈsesəti]
n
the fact that something must happen or be done; the need for something
n
something that you must have in order to live, succeed, or do something
Morpheme Breakdown
ne
cess
ity
ne
not
cess
to withdraw, to yield
ity
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'necessity' originates from the Latin 'necessitas', a state of being unavoidable or compelling. This Latin term is built from the adjective 'ne-cesse', literally meaning "not withdrawing" or "not yielding" (ne- 'not' + cedere 'to withdraw'). The core logic is that a necessity is something from which one cannot turn away or retreat; it is an inescapable condition or an indispensable requirement. Over time, this sense of unavoidable compulsion evolved from a physical or fatalistic constraint to encompass both objective needs for survival and logical imperatives.
Analysis
Structure: ne (not) + cess (to withdraw, to yield) + ity (noun suffix)
- ne: Latin origin, a negative prefix meaning "not".
- cess: Latin origin, from the past participle stem 'cess-' of the verb 'cedere', meaning "to go, to withdraw, to yield".
- ity: Latin suffix '-itas', via Old French '-ité', forming nouns indicating a state or condition.
Examples
Food and water are basic necessities of life.
There's no necessity for you to come if you're not feeling well.
The report stressed the necessity of immediate action.