Etymology

From Middle Dutch nootdruft, nootdurft. It is a tautological compound of nood ‎(“need”) +‎ druft ‎(“need”). The second element, found in Modern Dutch only (in metathesized form) in this compound, derives from Proto-Germanic *þurftiz. Compare Gothic 𐌽𐌰𐌿𐌳𐌹𐌸𐌰𐌿𐍂𐍆𐍄𐍃 ‎(naudiþaurfts).

Pronunciation