requirement

[ ri-kwahyuh r-muh nt ]
/ rɪˈkwaɪər mənt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR requirement ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

that which is required; a thing demanded or obligatory: One of the requirements of the job is accuracy.
an act or instance of requiring.
a need or necessity: to meet the requirements of daily life.

Origin of requirement

First recorded in 1520–30; require + -ment

SYNONYMS FOR requirement

1 Requirement, requisite refer to that which is necessary. A requirement is some quality or performance demanded of a person in accordance with certain fixed regulations: requirements for admission to college. A requisite is not imposed from outside; it is a factor which is judged necessary according to the nature of things, or to the circumstances of the case: Efficiency is a requisite for success in business. Requisite may also refer to a concrete object judged necessary: the requisites for perfect grooming.
2 order, command, injunction, directive, demand, claim.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR requirement ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM requirement

non·re·quire·ment, noun pre·re·quire·ment, noun su·per·re·quire·ment, noun

Words nearby requirement

requiem, requiem shark, requiescat, requiescat in pace, require, requirement, requisite, requisition, requital, requite, reradiation

VOCAB BUILDER

What does requirement mean?

A requirement is something that’s mandatory or necessary—it’s something you need to have or need to do.

Requirement is most often used in official contexts in which achieving a certain status requires you to perform certain actions or have certain things, such as documents.

Example: By passing this class you have now met all of the basic requirements for your major and will be able to walk at graduation in May.

Where does requirement come from?

The first records of requirement come from the 1500s. It is the noun form of the verb require, which is first recorded in the 1300s and comes from the Latin requīrere, meaning “to seek to know.” The suffix -ment is used to turn it into a noun.

If something is a requirement, it is not optional. Requirements typically must be fulfilled before you can complete something, reach a certain status, or move on to a next step. Many high schools and universities have official graduation requirements, which are usually particular classes that students need to take and projects they need to complete in order to be eligible to graduate. Job requirements are the qualifications that employers require you to have to be hired for a certain position. Each nation has its own citizenship requirements, which can include a variety of things, but often include official documents as well as specific knowledge about the country.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to requirement?

  • require (verb)
  • nonrequirement (noun)
  • prerequirement (noun)
  • superrequirement (noun)

What are some synonyms for requirement?

What are some words that share a root or word element with requirement? 

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing requirement?

 

How is requirement used in real life?

Requirement is typically used in situations when something is needed to gain an official status, such as to become a graduate, citizen, or employee.

 

 

Try using requirement!

Which of the following words is least likely to describe a requirement?

A. mandatory
B. necessary
C. optional
D. essential

Words related to requirement

precondition, specification, stipulation, prerequisite, qualification, demand, need, obligation, provision, condition, concern, claim, lack, fulfillment, want, obsession, imperative, compulsion, exaction, preoccupation

Example sentences from the Web for requirement

British Dictionary definitions for requirement

requirement
/ (rɪˈkwaɪəmənt) /

noun

something demanded or imposed as an obligation Latin is no longer a requirement for entry to university
a thing desired or needed
the act or an instance of requiring

Idioms and Phrases with requirement

requirement

see meet the requirements.