Dictionary

covetousness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈkʌvətəsnəs/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English covatusnes, covetousnes, coveytousnesse; equivalent to covetous + -ness.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) Immoderate desire for the possession of something, especially for wealth.
   • In obvious compensation and opposition the fear of nothingness becomes the source of covetousness... 1976, Jacques Ellul, The Ethics of Freedom, page 134:
   • Covetousness prevents all good, and is and inlet and encouragement to evil. 1815, Samuel Lavington, Sermons and other discourses, Volume 1:
   • Covetouſneſs is the yelow Jaundice of the foul, which ariſes from the over-flowing of the heart with love to yellow gold, by which a Chriſtian is dull'd and deadned. 1661, J. Johnson, The morning-exercise at Cripple-gate:
   • He which will yield to Fear. muſt neceſſarily yield to Covetouſneſs or any inordinate Deſire. 1588, Jean La Placette, Of the Incurable Scepticism of the Church of Rome:

Forms

Translations (24)

pl pożądliwość (desire for the possession of something) · et ihalus (desire for the possession of something) · pl chciwość (desire for the possession of something) · fi ahneus (desire for the possession of something) · fa حرص (desire for the possession of something) · nl begerigheid (desire for the possession of something) · gur sũkiire (desire for the possession of something) · ga antlás (desire for the possession of something) · pt cobiça (desire for the possession of something) · fi kateus (desire for the possession of something) · gl cobiza (desire for the possession of something) · ml അത്യാഗ്രഹം (desire for the possession of something) · fr convoitise (desire for the possession of something) · ro râvnire excesivă (desire for the possession of something) · got 𐌱𐌹𐍆𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍉𐌽𐍃 (desire for the possession of something) · es codicia (desire for the possession of something) · de Gier (desire for the possession of something) · pt avareza (desire for the possession of something) · ka ხარბობა (desire for the possession of something) · de Habsucht (desire for the possession of something) · pdt Janka (desire for the possession of something) · sv begärelse (desire for the possession of something) · ro poftă nemăsurată (desire for the possession of something) · ml ലുബ്ധത (desire for the possession of something)