Etymology Dictionary

WANT,  lack, deficiency, indigence, need.  (Scand.)   M.E. want, first in the Ormulum, 14398, where it is spelt wannt, and has the adj. sense of 'deficient;' spelt wonte, and used as a sb., Ancren Riwle, p. 284, l. 2.—Icel. vant, neuter of vanr, adj., lacking, deficient.   This neuter form was used with a gen. case following; as, var þeim vettugis vant = there was lacking to them of nothing, i.e. they wanted nothing.   [The Icel. sb. for want is vansi.]   β. Thus the final t was orig. merely the termination of the neut. gender (as in E. i-t, tha-t, thwar-t, tof-t); but the word vant was in common use, and even the verb vanta, to want, to lack, was formed from it, which is the origin of E. want as a verb.   γ. The Icel. vanr, adj., is explained under Wane, q.v.   Der. want, verb, M.E. wanten, spelt wonten in Ancren Riwle, p. 344, l. 14; from Icel. vanta, verb, as above.   Also want-ing, pres. part., sometimes used as adj.