necessity
/nɪˈsɛsəti/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.91 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The quality or state of being necessary, unavoidable, or absolutely requisite.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
Something which makes an act or an event unavoidable; an irresistible force; overruling power.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
The negation of freedom in voluntary action; the subjection of all phenomena, whether material or spiritual, to inevitable causation; necessitarianism.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "I bought a new table out of necessity. My old one was ruined."
- "The report I wrote was of necessity rushed and full of errors."
- "Educating the public about some of the myths that underlie their fears that non-traditional families will of necessity be detrimental to the well-being of foster children."
- "Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. […] But the scandals kept coming, […]. A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul."
- "For it is in vain for a man to think to seek God in his necessity and exigence, if he seek not God in his ordinances, and do not joy in them."
- "A tent is a necessity if you plan on camping."
Etymology
From Middle English necessite, from Old French necessite, from Latin necessitās (“unavoidableness, compulsion, exigency, necessity”), from necesse (“unavoidable, inevitable”); see necessary. Doublet of Necessitas.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: necessite, necessitās