Etymologically
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necesse

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [nɛˈkɛs.sɛ][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [neˈt͡ʃɛs.se][1]

Forms

necesse (indeclinable)[1] It is used only as a predicate, and other forms are necessis, necessum and necessus.[2]

Etymology

It is from ⟨*ne-cezd-tis⟩, from ne- “not” and cēdō “to yield”, so “not to be avoided”, formed like ⟨pote⟩ from ⟨potis⟩.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of what is indispensable and compulsory.[2] Köbler's first source is Naevius, whom he dates c. 235–200 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant indispensable, essential, and forced, compulsory, as in Plautus; in Terence it meant necessarily true, and in Cicero inevitable by natural law.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it was an indeclinable adjective, necessary.[4] British Medieval Latin used it as an adverb with the force of an adjective, and in a superlative.[5] Its derivative necessārius gave English necessary in the late 14th century.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.[3]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of the indispensable.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the inevitable.[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Indispensable, essential, necessary.[2]
  2. Inevitable.[2]
  3. Necessarily true.[2]
  4. Compulsory.[2]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  5. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  6. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com