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Greedy: meaning, definitions and examples

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greedy

 

[ ˈɡriːdi ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

behavior

Having or showing an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth or power.

Synonyms

avaricious, covetous, rapacious

Examples of usage

  • The greedy businessman only cared about making more money, regardless of who he hurt in the process.
  • She was accused of being greedy for wanting more than her fair share of the inheritance.
Context #2 | Adjective

food

Having a strong or excessive desire for food.

Synonyms

gluttonous, ravenous, voracious

Examples of usage

  • After the long hike, they had a greedy appetite and devoured the entire pizza.
  • The greedy child kept asking for more candy even though he had already eaten a lot.
Context #3 | Adjective

time

Used to describe a clock or watch that gains time faster than the correct time.

Synonyms

fast, inaccurate

Examples of usage

  • The old clock in the living room was greedy, always showing a time that was ahead by ten minutes.

Translations

Translations of the word "greedy" in other languages:

🇵🇹 ganancioso

🇮🇳 लालची

🇩🇪 gierig

🇮🇩 rakus

🇺🇦 жадібний

🇵🇱 chciwy

🇯🇵 貪欲な (どんよくな)

🇫🇷 avide

🇪🇸 codicioso

🇹🇷 açgözlü

🇰🇷 탐욕스러운

🇸🇦 جشع

🇨🇿 chamtivý

🇸🇰 chamtivý

🇨🇳 贪婪的 (tānlánde)

🇸🇮 pohlepen

🇮🇸 gráðugur

🇰🇿 ашкөз

🇬🇪 მოძალადე

🇦🇿 acgöz

🇲🇽 codicioso

Word origin

The word 'greedy' originated from the Middle English word 'gredie', which in turn came from the Old English 'grædig', meaning 'hungry, voracious'. The sense of 'having or showing an intense and selfish desire for something' emerged in the late Middle Ages. Over time, 'greedy' has come to be associated with not only a strong desire for wealth or power, but also excessive hunger or timekeeping inaccuracies.

See also: greed, greediness.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #12,261, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.