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Greed: meaning, definitions and examples

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greed

 

[ ɡriːd ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

negative trait

Intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.

Synonyms

avarice, covetousness, rapacity

Examples of usage

  • He was consumed by greed and would do anything to get more money.
  • The company's greed led to unethical business practices.
  • The king's greed for power led to the downfall of the kingdom.
Context #2 | Noun

financial context

Excessive desire for more wealth than one needs or deserves.

Synonyms

avarice, covetousness, rapacity

Examples of usage

  • The banker's greed for profit resulted in the financial crisis.
  • The real estate developer's greed drove up housing prices beyond affordability.
Context #3 | Verb

informal context

To have an intense and selfish desire for something.

Synonyms

crave, desire, yearn

Examples of usage

  • She greedily grabbed all the cookies for herself.
  • He greedily eyed the last piece of cake on the table.

Translations

Translations of the word "greed" in other languages:

🇵🇹 ganância

🇮🇳 लालच

🇩🇪 Gier

🇮🇩 keserakahan

🇺🇦 жадібність

🇵🇱 chciwość

🇯🇵 貪欲 (どんよく)

🇫🇷 avidité

🇪🇸 avaricia

🇹🇷 açgözlülük

🇰🇷 탐욕 (tam-yok)

🇸🇦 جشع

🇨🇿 chamtivost

🇸🇰 chamtivosť

🇨🇳 贪婪 (tān lán)

🇸🇮 pohlep

🇮🇸 græðgi

🇰🇿 ашкөздік

🇬🇪 სიხარბე

🇦🇿 tamaha

🇲🇽 avaricia

Etymology

The word 'greed' originated from the Old English 'grǣd' meaning 'voracious'. It has been used in English since the Middle Ages to describe an intense desire for something, especially wealth. The concept of greed has been explored in various philosophical and religious texts, highlighting its detrimental effects on individuals and societies.

See also: greediness, greedy.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,913, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.