noun
necessity
nih-SEH-suh-tee
noun
1
The state of being required or unavoidable.
"Recycling has become a necessity, not a choice."
2
Something essential; a basic requirement.
"Food and shelter are basic necessities of life."
"A good pair of boots is a necessity in this climate."
3
Extreme need or hardship; poverty.
"The family sold their belongings out of sheer necessity."
How to Use Necessity
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething you can't do without, or the state of being forced by circumstance.
Common pairings
a necessity of life
out of necessity
bare necessities
Word Forms
necessities plural
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Recycling has become a _____, not a choice.
Etymology
From Latin necessitās, from necesse ("unavoidable") — the same root as "necessary."