Basic Details
Word: Necessity
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Something that you need and cannot do without, or the fact that something must happen.
Synonyms: need, requirement, essential
Antonyms: luxury
How to Spell Necessity
Syllables: ne - ces - si - ty
Tricky part: One c and two s's, exactly as in necessary. Students double the c or forget one s.
Watch out for: neccessity, necesity, nessecity
Memory tip: Think of a shirt: one collar and two sleeves. One c, two s's.
Idioms and Phrases
- necessity is the mother of invention: when people really need something, they find a clever way to make or do it. Example: "With no ladder in sight, we stacked our school bags to reach the kite; necessity is the mother of invention."
- of necessity: because it cannot be avoided. Example: "The trip was, of necessity, cut short when the road was closed."
Usage Examples
Example 1: A torch is a necessity during the power cuts in our town.
Example 2: There is no necessity to shout; I can hear you.
Example 3: For many families, a mobile phone has become a necessity rather than a luxury.
Fun Fact
Necessity comes from Latin necesse, unavoidable. It is usually explained as ne, not, plus cedere, to give way: something that will not give way.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the word opposite in meaning to necessity as used in the sentence:
For people living in the desert, a reliable water supply is a necessity, not a choice.
a) luxury
b) requirement
c) essential
d) need
Show answer
a) luxury. A necessity is something you must have; a luxury is something nice but not needed.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
neccessity
a) c
b) s
c) t
d) e
Show answer
a) c. Necessity has a single c; only the s is doubled.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. necessity 2. embarassment 3. accomodation 4. occurence
a) a feeling of shame or awkwardness
b) something that happens
c) something that you cannot do without
d) a place where someone lives or stays
Show answer
c) something that you cannot do without. Only necessity is right; the others are accommodation, embarrassment and occurrence, each with two sets of double letters.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is a necessity for a plant to grow?
a) music
b) a painted pot
c) water
d) a name tag
Show answer
c) water
2. Necessity is the noun related to which adjective?
a) neat
b) natural
c) nervous
d) necessary
Show answer
d) necessary
