Rapaciousness: meaning, definitions and examples

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rapaciousness

 

[ rəˈpeɪʃəsnəs ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

greed for wealth or possessions

Rapaciousness is the insatiable desire to acquire more wealth or possessions, often at the expense of others. It is characterized by an intense and selfish craving for material goods, with little regard for ethical boundaries or the well-being of others. Those driven by rapaciousness are willing to exploit and manipulate to satisfy their endless appetite for accumulation.

Synonyms

avarice, covetousness, greed, voracity.

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Word Description / Examples
rapaciousness

Used to describe an extremely aggressive or excessive desire for wealth or gain, often in a predatory or exploitative manner.

  • The CEO's rapaciousness led him to make unethical business decisions
  • The rapaciousness of the invading army left the region destitute
greed

Refers to an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food. It generally has a broad application and includes various forms of excessive desire.

  • The story's villain was driven by greed, exploiting everyone around him
  • The food shortage was exacerbated by the greed of hoarders
avarice

Typically refers to an intense, insatiable desire for money or material wealth, often emphasizing its moral wrongdoing.

  • His avarice prevented him from donating even a small sum to charity
  • The film portrayed the character's avarice as the root of her downfall
covetousness

Describes a strong desire to possess something that belongs to someone else, often carrying a sense of envy.

  • Her covetousness for her neighbor's lifestyle strained their friendship
  • Covetousness over his colleague's promotion led him to act dishonestly
voracity

Mostly used to describe an intense eagerness or hunger, often for food, but can also refer to a strong desire for other activities or items in a non-material sense.

  • His voracity for knowledge led him to read books day and night
  • The lion's voracity was evident as it devoured its prey

Examples of usage

  • His rapaciousness knew no bounds, as he seized every opportunity to amass more wealth.
  • The rapaciousness of the corporation led to widespread environmental destruction in pursuit of profits.
  • She was known for her rapaciousness in business dealings, always looking for ways to maximize her own gains.

Translations

Translations of the word "rapaciousness" in other languages:

🇵🇹 rapacidade

🇮🇳 लालच

🇩🇪 Raffgier

🇮🇩 keserakahan

🇺🇦 жадібність

🇵🇱 chciwość

🇯🇵 強欲 (ごうよく)

🇫🇷 rapacité

🇪🇸 rapacidad

🇹🇷 açgözlülük

🇰🇷 탐욕 (탐욕)

🇸🇦 جشع

🇨🇿 chamtivost

🇸🇰 chamtivosť

🇨🇳 贪婪 (tānlán)

🇸🇮 pohlep

🇮🇸 gráðugheit

🇰🇿 ашкөздік

🇬🇪 ხარბი

🇦🇿 acgözlülük

🇲🇽 rapacidad

Etymology

The word 'rapaciousness' has its origins in the Latin word 'rapax', meaning 'greedy' or 'seizing by force'. Over time, it has evolved to describe a voracious and insatiable desire for wealth or possessions. The concept of rapaciousness has been explored in various literary works, highlighting the destructive nature of unchecked greed in human behavior.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #39,971, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.