ne·ces·si·ty

/nıˈsɛsəti/ noun, pl -ties

1 [count] : something that you must have or do : something that is necessary

Sunscreen is an absolute necessity for the beach.

food, clothes, and other basic necessities

Getting plenty of rest is a necessity.

Without a car, living close to work is a necessity.

All we took with us on our hiking trip were the bare necessities.

Many families cannot even afford the basic/bare necessities of life. [=things that a person must have in order to survive]

2 [noncount] formal : the quality of being necessary

— usually + of or for

She talked about the necessity of having the right training. [=she said that having the right training is necessary]

He questioned the necessity for the change. [=he questioned whether the change was necessary]

by necessity (or out of necessity)

: because of conditions that cannot be changed

The process is by necessity a slow one. [=the process is necessarily slow; the slowness of the process cannot be avoided]

He works two jobs out of necessity. [=because it is necessary]

make a virtue (out) of necessity — see ↑virtue

necessity is the mother of invention — see ↑mother, 1

of necessity

formal

— used to say that something must happen or must be the way it is

Further changes to the company will occur of necessity.