besoin

Besoin is a French noun meaning need, necessity, or requirement. It denotes a state of lacking something essential or desirable and commonly motivates action. A person can have a physical need, such as food or shelter, or a more abstract need, such as safety, health, or social belonging. In French, the verb avoir besoin de is used to express necessity, as in J'ai besoin d'aide (I need help). The plural besoins refers to needs in general or to different kinds of needs, such as les besoins primaires and les besoins secondaires.

Etymology: The word is of French origin, dating from Old French besoin. Its ultimate origin is uncertain, but it has cognates in other Romance languages, such as bisogno in Italian.

Usage and distinctions: Besoin is sometimes contrasted with désir (desire). A besoin is a condition that must be satisfied to achieve well-being or functioning, while un désir is something wished for but not strictly necessary. The concept is used across disciplines: in psychology (for example Maslow’s hierarchy of needs), in economics and consumer studies (demand is often framed as unmet besoins), and in urban planning or public policy to describe the needs of a population.

Examples illustrate practical use: L'enfant a besoin de sommeil; le pays a besoin d'infrastructures. The term can refer to individual needs, group needs, or societal priorities, and can be qualified by adjectives such as primaires, essentiels, or urgents.