Unødvendig

Unødvendig is a Norwegian adjective meaning not needed or not necessary. It describes something that is superfluous, redundant, or lacks justification in a given context. The term is common in everyday speech as well as in formal writing and can apply to actions, objects, or circumstances. Its opposite is nødvendig, and the noun form unødvendighet denotes the state or quality of being unnecessary.

Etymology and related forms: The word is formed from nødvendig (necessary) with the negative prefix u-, a pattern found in Norwegian across several adjectives. It has cognates in Danish unødvendig and Swedish onödig (with related forms such as onödvändig in older usage), reflecting shared Germanic roots.

Usage: Unødvendig can modify nouns or be used predicatively. For example, "et unødvendig spørsmål" or "unødvendig tid" describe something unnecessary, while a sentence like "Det er unødvendig å gjøre dette" states that a particular action is not required. In plural or definite contexts, the adjective follows standard Norwegian inflection, producing phrases like "unødvendige kostnader."

See also: unødvendighet, nødvendig, overflødig.