non-necessityn.

1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie Pref. 12 Beza most truely mainteyning the necessitie of excommunication, Erastus as truely the nonnecessitie of layelders to be ministers thereof.

c1661 Grand Deb. Rev. & Alteration Bk. Common Prayer 103 The Common-Prayer-Book plainly speaks of the non-necessity of Unction.

1671 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 6 2215 The non-necessity of the Circulation of Sap in Trees.

1827 J. Bentham Rationale Judicial Evid. III. v. xvii. 388 An attempt to prove supposes the necessity of proof, and assumption [supposes] the non-necessity of proof.

1863 W. Howitt Hist. of Supernat. 108 Archbishop Cranmer..took up the cry of the non-necessity of farther miracle.

1880 R. Barwell Aneurism 59 (note) The non-necessity of tying soluble ligatures tight enough to cut through the outer and middle coat.

1927 Sci. Monthly Dec. 531/1 She [sc. a ship] presents excellent evidence of Fulton's non-necessity, for it appears that she was designed chiefly previously and independently.

1949 Trollopian 3 267 The more we know of the laws and nature of the Universe the more ghastly a business one perceives it all to be—and the non-necessity of it.

1987 Washington Post (Electronic ed.) 7 Nov. Many states impose a sales tax on food consumed in restaurants, a presumed nonnecessity, but exempt groceries from the tax.

1994 K. ya Salaam What is Life? 107 The music extends our imagination.., creates an awareness of the infinite non-necessity of destruction.