necessitous
UK: nɪˈsɛsɪtəs | US: nəˈsɛsɪtəs
adj. 1. Poor or impoverished; lacking basic necessities.
adj. 2. Urgent or pressing; arising from need.
necessitous = necess<need> + itous<adjective suffix>
- necess (from Latin necesse, meaning "unavoidable, essential")
- itous (adjective-forming suffix, often indicating a state or condition)
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin necessitas (compulsion, inevitability), derived from necesse ("unavoidable"). Over time, necessitous evolved in English to describe both material deprivation ("poor") and urgent need ("pressing"). The suffix -itous (akin to -ous) generalizes the adjective form, emphasizing a state of lacking or urgency.
The necessitous family relied on food banks to survive.
His necessitous pleas for help went unanswered.
The charity focuses on aiding necessitous communities.
A necessitous situation demanded immediate action.
She wrote a necessitous letter requesting emergency funds.