necessary
//ˈnɛs.ə.sɹi//
Forms
- Comparative
- necessarier
- Superlative
- necessariest
Definitions
1.Required, essential, whether logically inescapable or needed in order to achieve a desired result or avoid some penalty.
- It is absolutely necessary that you call and confirm your appointment.
- Although I wished to think that all was false, it was yet necessary that I, who thus thought, must in some sense exist.
2.Unavoidable, inevitable.
- If it is absolutely necessary to use public computers, you should plan ahead and forward your e-mail to a temporary, disposable account.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1010
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Uncommon
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
From Middle English necessarye, from Old French necessaire, from Latin necessārius (“unavoidable, inevitable, required”), variant of necesse (“unavoidable, inevitable”), probably from ne or non cessum, from the perfect passive participle of cēdō (“yield; avoid, withdraw”); see cede.