Something that you must have or must do because it is very important or required. It can also mean the state of being needed or unavoidable.
From Old French 'necessite', from Latin 'necessitas' meaning 'need, inevitability, compulsion'. This comes from 'ne-' (not) + 'cedere' (to go), suggesting something that cannot be escaped.
The phrase 'necessity is the mother of invention' captures how humans often become most creative when they have no choice. The word itself is about what you simply cannot walk away from—food, shelter, or urgent action.
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