cupidity

WOTD - 8 June 2009    

English

Etymology

From French cupidité, from Latin cupiditās (“strong desire”), from cupidus (“keen, desirous”). Compare Cupid.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /kjuːˈpɪdəti/

Noun

cupidity (plural cupidities)

1. Extreme greed, especially for wealth.

   The conqueror's cupidity created economic problems in the kingdom.

   • 1956, Arthur C. Clarke, The City and the Stars, p 37

     Humanity had always been fascinated by the mystery of the falling dice, the turn of a card, the spin of the pointer. At its lowest level, this interest was based on mere cupidity—and that was an emotion that could have no place in a world where everyone possessed all that they could reasonably need.

Synonyms

• (extreme greed): avarice, covetousness; see also Wikisaurus:greed

Related terms

• cupid

Translations

extreme greed, especially for wealth

Armenian: ագահություն (hy) (agahut’yun), ընչաքաղցություն (hy) (ënčak’aġc’ut’yun) Bulgarian: алчност (bg) Czech: chamtivost (cs) f. Italian: cupidigia (it) f., cupidità (it) f. Macedonian: алчност (mk) (álčnost) f., лакомост (mk) (lákomost) f.

Romanian: cupiditate (ro) f. Russian: алчность (ru) (álčnost’) f., жадность (ru) (žádnost’) f., корыстолюбие (ru) (korystoljúbie) n. Scottish Gaelic: sannt (gd) m. Serbian: похлепа (sr) f., алавост (sr)