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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

appetite en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (General-American) audio
  • /ˈæp.əˌtaɪt/ (General-American)
  • /ˈæp.ɪ.taɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English appetit, from Old French apetit (French appétit), from Latin appetitus, from appetere (“to strive after, long for”); ad + petere (“to seek”). See petition, and compare with appetence.

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) A desire to eat food or consume drinks.
    • And I return with an excellent appetite. There can be no question, my dear Watson, of the value of exercise before breakfast. 1904, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of Black Peter:
    • The most rapid and most seductive transition in all human nature is that which attends the palliation of a ravenous appetite. There is something humiliating about it. 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 5, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
    • Though the breweries were forced to shut down, the dry spell did little more than whet the public's appetite for beer: Records show that within the first 24 hours after Congress lifted the ban Prohibition] in 1933, Americans guzzled 1 million barrels of the stuff. 1985, Susan Mullane, “Going for some gusto in the kitchen”, in National Fisherman, page 78:
    • Biotics possess extraordinary abilities, but they must live with minor inconveniences. The most obvious issue is getting adequate nutrition. Creating biotic mass effects takes such a toll on metabolism that active biotics develop ravenous appetites. The standard Alliance combat ration for a soldier is 3000 calories per day; biotics are given 4500, as well as a canteen of potent energy drink for quick refreshment after hard combat. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Biotics: Life as a Biotic Codex entry:
  2. (countable, uncountable) Any strong desire; an eagerness or longing.
    • To gratify the vulgar appetite for the marvellous. 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter IX, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
    • If God had given to eagles an appetite to swim. 1678, Antiquitates Christianæ: Or, the History of the Life and Death of the Holy Jesus: […], London: […] E. Flesher, and R. Norton, for R[ichard] Royston, […], →OCLC:
    • Conway says there had long been an outline plan to build a new station in Belfast, to replace Great Victoria Street station, but also to bring the Europa bus station into that to create a fully integrated transport hub. The team soon realised that there was a real appetite for this among the public of Northern Ireland, as well as a desire to include active travel, such as more cycle parking and better pedestrian access. 2026 March 18, Chris Conway talks to Andy Comfort, “The RAIL Interview”, in RAIL, number 1057, page 33:
  3. (countable, uncountable) The desire for some personal gratification, either of the body or of the mind.
    • appetite for reading
    • The object of appetite is whatsoever sensible good may be wished for; the object of will is that good which reason does lead us to seek. [1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
appetites Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

appetiteless · risk appetite · appetite comes with eating · concupiscible appetite · sexual appetite · irascible appetite · appetizingly · appetitive · appetizer · appetited · whet someone's appetite · appetizing

Synonyms

craving · longing · desire · passion · appetency

Translations (124)

hu étvágy (desire of or relish for food) · sq oreks (desire of or relish for food) · sh тек (desire of or relish for food) · la appetītus (desire of or relish for food) · is matarlyst (desire of or relish for food) · bg апети́т (desire of or relish for food) · mi minamina (any strong desire) · de Appetit (desire of or relish for food) · fa اشتها (desire of or relish for food) · tl ganang-kumain (desire of or relish for food) · fo matarlyst (desire of or relish for food) · da madlyst (desire of or relish for food) · sv matlust (desire of or relish for food) · ga goile (desire of or relish for food) · be апеты́т (desire of or relish for food) · ru жа́жда (desire for personal gratification) · fr appétit (desire of or relish for food) · kw ewl voos (desire of or relish for food) · et söögiisu (desire of or relish for food) · ro poftă de mâncare (desire of or relish for food) · it appetito (desire of or relish for food) · id selera (any strong desire) · sv aptit (desire of or relish for food) · ang metesōcn (desire of or relish for food) · tk işdää (desire of or relish for food) · ky табит (desire of or relish for food) · he תֵּאָבוֹן (desire of or relish for food) · nl honger (desire of or relish for food) · la appetītus (any strong desire) · fi halu (any strong desire) · es apetito (desire of or relish for food) · kk тәбет (desire of or relish for food) · el όρεξη (desire of or relish for food) · lv apetīte (desire of or relish for food) · nl appetijt (desire of or relish for food) · mi wakea (desire of or relish for food) · sdc gana (desire of or relish for food) · sc gana (desire of or relish for food) · pdt Apetiet (desire of or relish for food) · sk chuť (desire of or relish for food) · ru охо́та (any strong desire) · ca apetit (desire of or relish for food) · fa گرسنگی (desire of or relish for food) · ga dúil (desire of or relish for food) · gsw Abedidd (desire of or relish for food) · tg иштиҳо (desire of or relish for food) · cs chuť (desire of or relish for food) · no appetitt (desire of or relish for food) · gl apetito (desire of or relish for food) · ca gana (desire of or relish for food) · lt apetitas (desire of or relish for food) · fo matarlystur (desire of or relish for food) · fi hinku (any strong desire) · lv ēstgriba (desire of or relish for food) · fa کام (desire for personal gratification) · hu vágy (desire for personal gratification) · ko 입맛 (desire of or relish for food) · zu isisu (desire of or relish for food) · sh apetit (desire of or relish for food) · id minat (any strong desire) · tr istek (any strong desire) · pl żądza (desire for personal gratification) · ro poftă (desire of or relish for food) · tr şehvet (any strong desire) · sc sghinzu (desire of or relish for food) · ug ئىشتىھا (desire of or relish for food) · ja 食欲 (desire of or relish for food) · sq ëndje (desire of or relish for food) · id nafsu makan (desire of or relish for food) · nl eetlust (desire of or relish for food) · ru жа́жда (any strong desire) · sh tek (desire of or relish for food) · sh апетит (desire of or relish for food) · uk апети́т (desire of or relish for food) · ru жела́ние (any strong desire) · de Begierde (any strong desire) · et isu (desire of or relish for food) · ast fame (desire of or relish for food) · ru аппети́т (desire of or relish for food) · pl apetyt (desire of or relish for food) · et apetiit (desire of or relish for food) · gl gana (desire of or relish for food) · ro sârguință (any strong desire) · fi ruokahalu (desire of or relish for food) · id hasrat (any strong desire) · de Lust (any strong desire) · sdn sghiscia (desire of or relish for food) · pt apetite (any strong desire) · pt apetite (desire of or relish for food) · vi sự ngon miệng (desire of or relish for food) · af appetyt (desire of or relish for food) · tr iştah (desire of or relish for food) · id selera (desire of or relish for food) · sdc appitìtu (desire of or relish for food) · ko 식욕 (desire of or relish for food) · tr arzu (any strong desire) · nl trek (desire of or relish for food) · vi sự thèm ăn (desire of or relish for food) · ug ئىشتەي (desire of or relish for food) · es ganas (desire of or relish for food) · sl apetit (desire of or relish for food) · ar شَهِيَّة (desire of or relish for food) · af aptyt (desire of or relish for food) · ro apetit (desire of or relish for food) · hy ախորժակ (desire of or relish for food) · sdn gana (desire of or relish for food) · es deseo (desire of or relish for food) · cmn 食慾 /食欲 (desire of or relish for food) · fa آرزومندی (any strong desire) · ms selera (desire of or relish for food) · da begær (any strong desire) · ka მადა (desire of or relish for food) · no matlyst (desire of or relish for food) · mk апетит (desire of or relish for food) · ro ardoare (any strong desire) · hu vágy (any strong desire) · az iştaha (desire of or relish for food) · sc gana (desire of or relish for food) · yue 胃口 (desire of or relish for food) · da appetit (desire of or relish for food) · hu kedv (desire for personal gratification) · pl apetyt (any strong desire) · fi halu (desire for personal gratification) · ro râvnă (any strong desire)