required

The word 'required' originates from the Latin verb requirere, which is a compound of re- (meaning "back" or "again") and quaerere (meaning "to seek" or "to ask"). The literal sense was "to seek again, to ask for back," implying a formal demand or a search for something that is due. This entered Middle English via Old French requerre, evolving from the past participle form requisitus, which carried the sense of something that has been asked for or demanded. Over time, the English verb 'require' developed, and its past participle 'required' came to function as an adjective, solidifying its modern meanings of being officially mandated or necessary, thus transitioning from the act of seeking to the state of being sought after or obligatory.

Structure: re (again, back) + quire (to seek, to ask) + ed (adjective suffix) - re: A Latin prefix meaning "again" or "back". - quire: From the Latin root quaerere, meaning "to seek, to ask, to gain". In English, it appears in words like 'inquire' and 'acquisition'. - ed: A suffix of Old English origin used to form adjectives from verbs, indicating a state or condition (e.g., 'tired', 'excited').