covet
English
Etymology
From Middle English coveten, coveiten, coveyten, from Old French covoitier (modern French convoiter), from covoitié (“desire”), presumably modified from Latin cupiditas. First used in the 14th century.
Pronunciation
Verb
covet (third-person singular simple present covets, present participle coveting, simple past and past participle coveted)
- (transitive) To wish for with eagerness; to desire possession of, often enviously.
- (transitive) To long for inordinately or unlawfully; to hanker after (something forbidden).
- (intransitive) To yearn; to have or indulge an inordinate desire, especially for another's possession.
Derived terms
Derived terms
Translations
to wish for with eagerness
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to long for inordinately or unlawfully
to have or indulge inordinate desire
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Further reading
- “covet”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “covet”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/ʌvɪt
- English lemmas
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English intransitive verbs