Make Your Point > Archived Issues > NECESSITATE
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pronounce
NECESSITATE:
Say it "nuh SESS uh tate."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
As I've shared before, whenever you see a word with "ced," "ceed," or "ces" in it, you can bet with a fair degree of confidence that it came from the Latin cedere, meaning "to go," "to go away," or "to yield."
That explains why the words access, process, and success kind of look like the words necessary and necessitate. At heart, they all involve going somewhere, or not going anywhere, in the case of necessary and necessitate (along with i_cess___: unceasing, annoyingly never-ending"). Etymologically speaking, a necessity, or something i_cess___, never goes away.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
When you think of how something "necessary" is needed, and how a "necessity" is a thing that you need, then it makes sense that they both trace back to the Latin necesse, meaning "unavoidable," or more literally, "not yielding, not withdrawing, not going away."
The verb form is "necessitate." You might guess that it's rather new, since it looks ugly and jargony. But it's actually been around in English since at least 1601.
Like it sounds, to necessitate something is to make it necessary: to require it, to involve it, or to demand it.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Verb, the transitive kind: "The hurricane necessitated an evacuation."
Other forms:
Necessitated, necessitating, necessitation.
And you might put "necessary" and "necessity/necessities" into this family, too.
how to use it:
I think it's worthwhile to ponder this common word, "necessitate."
Yes, it's a cold, dry, ugly, businesslike kind of word, but sometimes we need words like that. This one helps us distance ourselves from the topic at hand, standing back to point at causes and effects in a calm, logical way.
We talk about events and conditions that necessitate changes, adjustments, repairs, and revisions; treatments and interventions; tasks, errands, and journeys; conversations and confrontations, and so on.
And yes, the result is often a dehumanized kind of sentence, one that features objects and events but no people. "The injury necessitated surgery." "Frizzy hair necessitates good styling products." "The funding shortage necessitates fundraisers year after year."
As a writing tutor, I'm compelled to tell you that dehumanized sentences like those are colder, harder to read, and more boring than their humanized counterparts: "He wrecked his car, then underwent surgery." "I tame my frizzy hair with a big glop of conditioner." "They have to bake and sell thousands of muffins because the government won't shell out for printer paper."
Still, "necessitate" serves us well sometimes. Let's keep it around.
Just not in the phrase "necessitate the need for." Yikes, that's redundant. If you see a sentence like "The accident has now necessitated the need for back surgery," then scribble out "the need for." One thing necessitates another. Here's Sherlock Holmes: "A winning strategy sometimes necessitates sacrifice."
examples:
"Rats' teeth continue to grow our entire lives, which necessitates gnawing to keep them at a manageable length."
— Suzanne Collins, Gregor the Overlander, 2003
"[The phone game] is as simple as its genre necessitates. You play as a continuously sashaying woman, stacking high heels to get over obstacles."
— Ashley Bardhan, The Verge, 18 May 2021
has this page helped you understand "necessitate"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "necessitate" without saying "require" or "call for."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "(Some goal, choice, activity, method, or process) necessitates _____. I (recommend it, or don't recommend it)!"
Example 1: "Lying about stuff necessitates remembering what you said. I don't recommend it!"
Example 2: "Using the kiosk to place your order necessitates no human interaction whatsoever. I recommend it!"
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month: It Sounds Wiser in Latin.
Try matching a handful of Latin phrases to their English translations. If you need some clues, I'll provide them in the form of definitions of related words.
For example, the clue "Something anguine reminds you of a snake" could help you determine that "Latet anguis in herba" means "A snake hides in the grass."
Enjoy!
Try these today:
1. docendo discimus
2. in ambiguo
3. manibus pedibusque
4. quo vadimus
5. sine odio
A. doubted
B. we learn by teaching
C. where are we going?
D. with hands and feet
E. without hatred
To peek at the clues, follow the links:
1. A vade mecum is...
2. Odium is...
3. Something ambiguous is...
review this word:
A. OBVIATE: to eliminate the need for something.
B. DESIDERATE: to long for something deeply and mournfully.
C. RECIPROCATE: to feel the same thing that someone else feels for you.
2.
In Wayne's World, when Wayne's ex-girlfriend gives him a gun rack, he's boggled: "A gun rack? A gun rack. Yeah... I don't even own a gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate _____."
A. an entire rack
B. me to own an entire rack
C. the need for an entire rack
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
As I've shared before, whenever you see a word with "ced," "ceed," or "ces" in it, you can bet with a fair degree of confidence that it came from the Latin cedere, meaning "to go," "to go away," or "to yield."
When you think of how something "necessary" is needed, and how a "necessity" is a thing that you need, then it makes sense that they both trace back to the Latin necesse, meaning "unavoidable," or more literally, "not yielding, not withdrawing, not going away."
Part of speech:
I think it's worthwhile to ponder this common word, "necessitate."
"Rats' teeth continue to grow our entire lives, which necessitates gnawing to keep them at a manageable length."
Explain the meaning of "necessitate" without saying "require" or "call for."
Fill in the blanks: "(Some goal, choice, activity, method, or process) necessitates _____. I (recommend it, or don't recommend it)!"
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |