Dictionary

covetous en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• kŭv'ət-əs
• /ˈkʌvətəs/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English coveitous, from Anglo-Norman *cuveitus, from Medieval Latin as if *cupiditosus, from Latin cupiditas (“desire”); see covet.

Meanings

1. Distastefully desirous or keen, especially for something belonging to someone else; avaricious.
   • Intimate as she was with Lady Anne, she would not but see how little the Misses Granard had of the ordinary pleasures of their age—but it never entered into her head to add to them—had one of their sweet faces been seen in her box at the opera, it might have attracted that attention she was feverishly covetous of engrossing. 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “(please specify the page)”, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, pages 125–126:
   • The couaitous deſyre of riche men is euer vnſaciable. It always raueneth and neuer is ſatisfied. 1545 July 12 (Gregorian calendar), Thomas Elyot, A Preseruatiue agaynste Deth, London: […] Thomas Berthelet, […], →OCLC, signature [B.vi.], recto:

Forms

Deriveds

covetousness · overcovetous · covetously · uncovetous

Relateds

covet

Synonyms

greedy · esurient · grasping · avaricious · miserable · rapacious · cormorant · sharp-set · piggish · edacious · acquisitive · miserly · covetous · sordid · selfish · voracious

Translations (40)

pl chciwy (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · de gierig (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · hu mohó (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · gl cobizoso (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · el ζηλόφθων (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ga santach (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ar حَسُود (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · fa حریص (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · hi लालची (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ar طَمَّاع (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · hu kapzsi (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · la trahax (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · cmn 貪求的 /贪求的 (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ar مُشْتَهٍ (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · cs prahnoucí (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ota حریص (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ga amplach (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · bg лаком (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · hi लोभी (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · hy ագահ (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · cs lačný (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · fi isoava (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · cmn 垂涎的 (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · bg алчен (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ota آج (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · pl pożądliwy (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · fr avare (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ar شَرِه (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ru жа́дный (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ga amplúil (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · el φθονερός (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · fi himoitseva (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ru а́лчный (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · gd sanntach (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · de begierig (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · no gjerrig (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ga maoinchíocrach (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · ga antlásach (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · cs žádostivý (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious) · got 𐍆𐌰𐌹𐌷𐌿𐍆𐍂𐌹𐌺𐍃 (distastefully desirous or keen — see also avaricious)