What does avarice mean?

Definitions for avarice
ˈæv ər ɪsavarice

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word avarice.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. avarice, greed, covetousness, rapacity, avaritianoun

    reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins)

  2. avarice, avariciousness, covetousness, cupiditynoun

    extreme greed for material wealth

Wiktionary

  1. avaricenoun

    Excessive or inordinate desire of gain; greediness after wealth; covetousness; cupidity.

  2. avaricenoun

    Inordinate desire for some supposed good.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. AVARICEnoun

    Covetousness; insatiable desire.

    Etymology: avarice, Fr. avaritia, Lat.

    There grows
    In my most ill compos’d affection, such
    A stanchless avarice, that were I king,
    I should cut off the nobles for their lands. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

    This avarice of praise in times to come,
    Those long inscriptions crouded on the tomb. John Dryden, Juv.

    Nor love his peace of mind destroys,
    Nor wicked avarice of wealth. Dryden.

    Avarice is insatiable; and so he went still pushing on for more. Roger L'Estrange.

Wikipedia

  1. Avarice

    Greed (or avarice) is an uncontrolled longing for increase in the acquisition or use of material gain (be it food, money, land, or animate/inanimate possessions); or social value, such as status, or power. Greed has been identified as undesirable throughout known human history because it creates behavior-conflict between personal and social goals.

ChatGPT

  1. avarice

    Avarice is an extreme greed or desire for wealth, material gain or any other form of possessions often in an excessive and unsatisfactory manner. This sinful or negative characteristic can often lead to harmful behaviors or actions.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Avaricenoun

    an excessive or inordinate desire of gain; greediness after wealth; covetousness; cupidity

  2. Avaricenoun

    an inordinate desire for some supposed good

  3. Etymology: [F. avaritia, fr. avarus avaricious, prob. fr. avre to covet, fr. a root av to satiate one's self: cf. Gr. 'a`menai, 'a^sai, to satiate, Skr. av to satiate one's self, rejoice, protect.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Avarice

    av′ar-is, n. eager desire for wealth: covetousness.—adj. Avari′cious, extremely covetous: greedy.—adv. Avari′ciously.—n. Avari′ciousness. [Fr.—L. avaritiaavarus, greedy—avēre, to pant after.]

Editors Contribution

  1. Avarice

    Avarice is reprehensible acquisitiveness, excessive and insatiable desire to acquire or possess more wealth, riches or material gain than one needs or deserves. In other words, avarice is the highest level of greed or greediness.

    Emeasoba George


    Submitted by emeasoba_g on March 3, 2018  

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of avarice in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of avarice in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of avarice in a Sentence

  1. Walter Savage Landor:

    Ambition is but avarice on stilts and masked.

  2. Mahabharata:

    Heaven?s gate is narrow and minute,* It cannot be perceived by foolish men, Blinded by vain illusions of the world. E?en the clear-sighted, who discern the way And seek to enter, find the portal barred And hard to be unlocked. Its massive bolts Are pride and passion, avarice and lust.

  3. Alexander Hamilton, P. 217 - A History of the American People by P. Johnson:

    Every man ought to be supposed a knave, and to have no other end, in all his actions, but private interest. By this interest we must govern him, and by means of it, make him cooperate to public good, notwithstanding his unsatiable avarice and ambition.

  4. Horace:

    The avarice person is ever in want; let your desired aim have a fixed limit.

  5. David Hume:

    Avarice, the spur of industry.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

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Translations for avarice

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"avarice." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/avarice>.

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