needy

CEFRC1

/ˈniːdi/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Lacking basic needs such as money or care.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Desiring constant affirmation; lacking self-confidence.

Examples

  • The city supplied the needy with blankets.

  • What marvelous work he's doing, donating books to needy children!

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
2
Synonyms
1

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Needful; necessary.

  2. In need; poor.

More examples

In context

  • We should help the needy.

  • It's emotionally exhausting to be around her because she's so needy.

  • Needy people want to give too, but have few material goods to offer.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The local charity helps blank families who cannot afford food or shelter.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English nedy, nedi (“necessitous”), from Old English nēdiġ, *nīediġ ("of need, obligated, compelled"; found in the derivative nīediġnes (“obligation”)), from Proto-Germanic *naudigaz (“of need, forced, compelled”), equivalent to need + -y. Cognate with Scots nedy, neidy (“needy, necessitous, impoverished”), Saterland Frisian niedich (“miserable, poor, wretched, needy”), Saterland Frisian nöödich (“necessary, needful”), West Frisian nedich (“needful, needed”), Dutch nodig (“necessary”), Middle Low German nōdich (“necessary, urgent, by requirement”), German nötig (“necessary, needful”), Danish nødig (“necessary”), Swedish nödig (“necessary”), Icelandic nauðugur (“constrained”).