# needy

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈniːdi/ · frequency rank #13,388

## Definitions
1. In need; poor.
2. Desiring constant affirmation; lacking self-confidence.
3. Needful; necessary.

## Etymology
From Middle English nedy, nedi (“necessitous”), from Old English nēdiġ, *nīediġ ("of need, obligated, compelled"; found in the derivative nīediġnes (“obligation”)), from Proto-Germanic *naudigaz (“of need, forced, compelled”), equivalent to need + -y. Cognate with Scots nedy, neidy (“needy, necessitous, impoverished”), Saterland Frisian niedich (“miserable, poor, wretched, needy”), Saterland Frisian nöödich (“necessary, needful”), West Frisian nedich (“needful, needed”), Dutch nodig (“necessary”), Middle Low German nōdich (“necessary, urgent, by requirement”), German nötig (“necessary, needful”), Danish nødig (“necessary”), Swedish nödig (“necessary”), Icelandic nauðugur (“constrained”).

## Easily confused with
- **ney** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/needy-vs-ney)
- **nerd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/needy-vs-nerd)
- **NEET** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/needy-vs-neet)
- **newly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/needy-vs-newly)
- **NERDS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/needy-vs-nerds)
- **nerdy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/needy-vs-nerdy)
- **nelly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/needy-vs-nelly)
- **Newry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/needy-vs-newry)
- **ned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ned-vs-needy)
- **nee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nee-vs-needy)
- **need** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/need-vs-needy)
- **needs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/needs-vs-needy)
- **needed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/needed-vs-needy)
- **needle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/needle-vs-needy)

## Common misspellings (7)
`enedy`, `nedey`, `nedy`, `needdy`, `needyy`, `neeyd`, `nneedy`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/needy