Needful

Origin

From Middle English needeful, nedeful, equivalent to need + -ful.

Full definition of needful

Adjective

1. Needed; necessary; mandatory; requisite; indispensible.
• 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 5So I went to keep house with him at the Why Not? and my aunt sent down my bag of clothes, and would have made over to Elzevir the pittance that my father left for my keep, but he said it was not needful, and he would have none of it.

Noun

1. Anything necessary or requisite.
2. Ready money; wherewithal.

Usage notes

Commonly found in phrases such as "do the needful" or "please do the needful"; which occur commonly in Indian English but are held as archaic in other dialects; nonetheless being heard more and more by speakers of said dialects in their interactions with speakers of Indian English. This has to some extent lead to these phrases being seen as stereotypical of Indian English and used in a parodying context by speakers of other dialects, some of whom may find their usage odd and/or pretentious.

Derived terms

• do the needful