different between needy vs needed

English

Etymology

From Middle English nedy, nedi (“necessitous”), from Old English n?di?, *n?edi? ("of need, obligated, compelled"; found in the derivative n?edi?nes (“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 n?dich (“necessary, urgent, by requirement”), German nötig (“necessary, needful”), Danish nødig (“necessary”), Swedish nödig (“necessary”), Icelandic nauðugur (“constrained”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ni?di/
• Rhymes: -i?di

Adjective

needy (comparative needier, superlative neediest)

1. In need; poor.

   Needy people want to give too, but have few material goods to offer.

   • 29 February 2012, Aidan Foster-Carter, BBC News North Korea: The denuclearisation dance resumes [1]

     Such monitoring has often been a sticking point in the past, amid fears that food aid might be diverted to the Northern elite - or its military - rather than the needy.

2. Desiring constant affirmation; lacking self-confidence.

   It's emotionally exhausting to be around her because she's so needy.

3. (archaic) Needful; necessary.
   • 1861, Isaak August Dorner, Patrick Fairbairn, History of the development of the doctrine of the person of Christ

     It is the measure of things, and their time (that is, their measure, as to space and time), and yet it is above, and prior to, time: it is full in needy things, and overflows in full things; it is unutterable, innominable: it is above understanding […]

Synonyms

• (in need): See also Thesaurus:impoverished

Antonyms

• (desiring constant affirmation): confident, self-sufficient

Derived terms

• neediness

Translations

Anagrams

• Edney

English

Etymology

From need +? -ed. The adjective is derived from the verb.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?ni?d?d/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?nid?d/
• Homophone: kneaded
• Hyphenation: need?ed

Adjective

needed (comparative more needed, superlative most needed)

1. Necessary; being required.

Derived terms

• much-needed

Verb

needed

1. simple past tense and past participle of need

Anagrams

• endeed