nauðsyn

Nauðsyn is an Icelandic noun meaning necessity or something that is essential or required. It denotes a state or condition without which something cannot occur or be achieved. In everyday language it can refer to basic needs such as food and shelter as well as to obligations or essential requirements in plans, projects, or policy. The word is commonly used with adjectives to express necessity, and its related adjective nauðsynlegur means “necessary” or “essential.”

Etymology: Nauðsyn traces back to Old Norse and is cognate with similar terms in other Nordic languages. It is formed from roots associated with need or compulsion and has been a stable element of Icelandic vocabulary for centuries.

Usage: As a noun, nauðsyn appears in phrases that mark conditions or requirements, such as nauðsynleg skilyrði meaning “necessary conditions.” The word can also appear with the adverbial or adjectival forms nauðsynlegur and nauðsynlega to express the idea across contexts.

See also: Necessary condition; Essential; Icelandic language.