require

The story

1. Latin · derived fromrequīrō“to require, seek, ask for”
2. Old French · derived fromrequerre
3. English todayrequire

From Old French requerre (whence Modern French requérir), from Latin requīrō (“to require, seek, ask for”, literally “to seek back”), from re- (“back; again”) + quaerō (“to seek”, whence query).

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. To demand, to insist upon (having); to call for authoritatively.
• from 15th c. Naturally to demand (something) as indispensable; to need, to call for as necessary.
• from 18th c. To demand (of someone) to do something.
• 14th–17th c. To ask (someone) for something; to request; to beseech.