want

A1 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled wand, wantin, and warnt

US /wɑnt/ UK /wɒnt/ See IPA manual

Freq #60

Meanings

1

verb
To feel that you would like to have or do something.

I want a glass of water.
2

verb
To wish for someone to be present or to do something.

I want you here at noon!
3

verb
To need something.

This piano wants the attention of a good tuner.

Verb forms

want, wanted, wanted

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to feel that you would like... desire

3 verb · to need something. need

More acheappetizeaspire covet crave dream eye fancy fond heart hope

Opposites

dislike hateunwant

Word family

Derived forms unwantedwannawant-awaywant-towant-to-bewantedwanterwantfulwantingwantishwantlesswantsome

Appears in

Proverbs (14)

See all

Simplified etymology

Wand entered Middle English from Old Norse and is related to wend and to the verb wind “move in a twisting way.” Its underlying idea was probably a supple or flexible stick; early senses included a sapling, switch, rod, and staff of office, alongside the long-established magical sense.

Etymology

From Middle English wanten (“to lack, to need”), from Old Norse vanta (“to lack”), from Proto-Germanic *wanatōną (“to be wanting, lack”), from *wanô (“lack, deficiency”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂- (“empty”). Cognate with Middle High German wan (“not full, empty”), Middle Dutch wan (“empty, poor”), Old English wana (“want, lack, absence, deficiency”), Latin vanus (“empty”). See wan, wan-.

wanten Middle English vanta Old Norse *wanatōną Proto-Germanic *h₁weh₂- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# want

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /wɑnt/
**IPA (UK):** /wɒnt/
**Frequency rank:** 60

## Meanings
1. To feel that you would like to have or do something.
2. To wish for someone to be present or to do something.
3. To need something.

## Examples
- I want a glass of water.
- I want you here at noon!
- This piano wants the attention of a good tuner.

## Synonyms
- ache
- appetize
- aspire
- covet
- crave
- desire
- dream
- eye
- fancy
- fond
- heart
- hope

## Antonyms
- dislike
- hate
- unwant

## Derived Forms
- unwanted
- wanna
- want-away
- want-to
- want-to-be
- wanted
- wanter
- wantful
- wanting
- wantish
- wantless
- wantsome

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: wanten
- Root: vanta
- Root: *wanatōną
- Root: *h₁weh₂-

## Etymology
From Middle English wanten (“to lack, to need”), from Old Norse vanta (“to lack”), from Proto-Germanic *wanatōną (“to be wanting, lack”), from *wanô (“lack, deficiency”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂- (“empty”). Cognate with Middle High German wan (“not full, empty”), Middle Dutch wan (“empty, poor”), Old English wana (“want, lack, absence, deficiency”), Latin vanus (“empty”). See wan, wan-.

## AI Etymology
Want is from Middle English wanten (“to lack, to need”), from Old Norse vanta (“to lack”), from Proto-Germanic *wanatōną (“to be wanting, lack”), from *wanô (“lack, deficiency”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂- (“empty”). Cognate with Middle High German wan (“not full, empty”), Middle Dutch wan (“empty, poor”), Old English wana (“want, lack, absence, deficiency”), Latin vanus (“empty”). See wan, wan-. Important historical forms include Middle English wanten, Old Norse vanta, Proto-Germanic *wanatōną, and Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂-. In present-day use, it can mean to feel that you would like to have or do something, or to wish for someone to be present or to do something.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown