avarice

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Quotations 1.3.2 Synonyms 1.3.3 Related terms 1.3.4 Translations 2 French 2.1 Etymology 2.2 Pronunciation 2.3 Noun 2.3.1 Related terms

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Old French, from Latin avāritia, from avārus (“‘greedy’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /'ævəɹɪs/
• (US) IPA: /'ævəɻəs/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

avarice (uncountable)

1. Excessive or inordinate desire of gain; greediness after wealth; covetousness; cupidity.
2. Inordinate desire for some supposed good.

[edit] Quotations

excessive desire of gain from wealth

			1606	1726 1776	1860		2006
ME: [[{{{enm}}}]] «	15th c.	16th c.	17th c.	18th c.	19th c.	20th c.	21st c.

• 1606 - Shakespeare, Macbeth iv 3

  With this 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.

• 1726 - Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels Part II, ch. vi

  Whether they were always so free from avarice, partialities, or want, that a bribe, or some other sinister view, could have no place among them?

• 1776 - Thomas Paine, Common Sense

  Oppression is often the consequence, but seldom or never the means of riches; and though avarice will preserve a man from being necessitously poor, it generally makes him too timorous to be wealthy.

• 1860, John Ruskin, Unto This Last, Cornhill Magazine

  "The social affections," says the economist, "are accidental and disturbing elements in human nature; but avarice and the desire of progress are constant elements. Let us eliminate the inconstants, and, considering the human being merely as a covetous machine, examine by what laws of labour, purchase, and sale, the greatest accumulative result in wealth is obtainable..."

• 2006 - Square-Enix, Kingdom Hearts II Episode 2 of Port Royal ("Pirates of the Caribbean world")

  The Darkness of men's hearts, drawn to these cursed medallions; and this Heartless, a veritable maelstrom of avarice. I wonder, are they worthy to serve Organization XIII?

[edit] Synonyms

• avariciousness
• See also Wikisaurus:greed

[edit] Related terms

• avaricious, avariciously

[edit] Translations

---

[edit] French

[edit] Etymology

From Latin avaritia

[edit] Pronunciation

•  Audio^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

avarice f. (plural avarices)

1. greed; avarice

[edit] Related terms

• avare
• avarement
• avaricieux