different between avaricious vs cupidity

English

Alternative forms

• avaritious (obsolete)
• avaricius (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English avaricious, from Old French avaricieux, from avarice, from Latin avaritia (“greed”), from avarus (“greedy”), of avere (“crave, long for”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?æv??????s/

Adjective

avaricious (comparative more avaricious, superlative most avaricious)

1. Actuated by avarice; extremely greedy for wealth or material gain; immoderately desirous of accumulating property.
   • 1835, Robert Montgomery Bird, The Hawks of Hawk-Hollow

     In a word, he was called a hard, avaricious, rapacious man, whose chief business was to enrich himself...

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:greedy

Derived terms

• avariciously
• avariciousness

Related terms

• avarice

Translations

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “avaricious”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

English

Etymology

From French cupidité, from Latin cupidit?s (“strong desire”), from cupidus (“keen, desirous”). Compare Cupid.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kju??p?d?ti/

Noun

cupidity (countable and uncountable, plural cupidities)

1. Extreme greed, especially for wealth.
   • 1857, Anthony Trollope, Barchester Towers, Volume the First, page 11 ?ISBN

     His affairs, however, were not allowed to subside thus quietly, and people were quite as much inclined to talk about the disinterested sacrifice he had made, as they had before been to upbraid him for his cupidity.

   • 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), p. 784:

     It was easy to dissimulate and disperse these modest purchases in such a way as not to excite the cupidity of any passing patrols.

Synonyms

• (extreme greed): avarice, covetousness; see also Thesaurus:greed

Related terms

• cupid

Translations

Anagrams

• pudicity