Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

needs

/nidz/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.37 in modern English

Syllables
needs
IPA
/nidz/
6
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

plural of need

name

A surname.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English nedes (“of necessity, necessarily; inevitably, unavoidably”) [and other forms], from Old English nēdes, nīedes (“of necessity; not willingly”), from nīed + -es (suffix forming adverbs from nouns). The English word is equivalent to need + -'s (possessive marker) and hence to need + -s (suffix forming adverbs).

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /nidz/
  • British English: /niːdz/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce needs?
The recorded pronunciation is /nidz/.
What does needs mean?
Either directly or indirectly preceded or followed by an auxiliary verb, often must: of necessity or need; necessarily, indispensably.
Where does needs come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce needs

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “needs”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/nidz/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “needs”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “needs” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.