needful
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needful
- /ˈniːdfl̩/
Where it comes from
From Middle English needeful, nedeful, from Old English nēodful (“necessary; earnest; zealous”). Equivalent to need + -ful. Cognate with Dutch noodvol, German notvoll.
adjective more needful · most needful · nedefull · needfull
-
Needed; necessary; mandatory; requisite; indispensable.
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforeſaid, That in every Town in the Colony, where Bread is Baken for Sale, there ſhall be Choſen one Clerk of the Market, or more, as each Town ſhall find needful, at their Annual Election of Town Officers, who ſhall duly be Engaged, to the faithful perfor
Opposite: needless
- Needy; in need. […] where his active benevolence was ever found in cheerful co-operation for the cause of the humble & needful orphan […]
noun needfuls · nedefull · needfull
- Anything necessary or requisite. I think better of you for looking steadily to the needful.
- Ready money; wherewithal.
Talk about this word "needful." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/needful. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. needful. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/needful "needful." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/needful.Cite this
@misc{needful_2026,
title = {needful},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/needful},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
