Coveting: meaning, definitions and examples

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coveting

 

[ ˈkəʊvɪtɪŋ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

desire

To covet means to have a strong desire for something that belongs to someone else. It often involves longing for something that is not rightfully yours.

Synonyms

crave, desire, envy, yearn

Examples of usage

  • He was coveting his neighbor's new car.
  • She couldn't help but covet her friend's designer handbag.
  • The tenth commandment in the Bible warns against coveting.
  • His coveting of the company's success led him to make unethical decisions.
  • Stop coveting what others have and focus on your own blessings.

Translations

Translations of the word "coveting" in other languages:

🇵🇹 cobiça

🇮🇳 लालसा

🇩🇪 Begehrlichkeit

🇮🇩 keinginan

🇺🇦 жадання

🇵🇱 pożądanie

🇯🇵 渇望

🇫🇷 convoitise

🇪🇸 codicia

🇹🇷 hırs

🇰🇷 갈망

🇸🇦 طمع

🇨🇿 touha

🇸🇰 túžba

🇨🇳 渴望

🇸🇮 želja

🇮🇸 löngun

🇰🇿 құмарлық

🇬🇪 სურვილი

🇦🇿 həsrət

🇲🇽 codicia

Etymology

The word 'coveting' has its origins in the Old French word 'coveitier', which meant 'to desire greatly'. It has been a part of the English language since the Middle Ages, stemming from the Latin word 'cupiditas', meaning 'desire'. The concept of coveting has been explored in various religious texts, such as the Ten Commandments in the Bible, which warn against coveting what belongs to others.

See also: covet, coveted, covetous.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #32,918 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.