gluttony
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of gluttony
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English glotonie, glutonie, from Old French glotonie; equivalent to glutton 1 + -y 3
Explanation
Called one of the seven deadly sins, gluttony is characterized by a limitless appetite for food and drink and overindulgence to the point where one is no longer eating just to live, but rather living to eat. Present in Old French and Middle English, the word glutonie derived from the Latin gluttire, "to swallow," which in turn came from gula, the word for "throat." In some cultures, gluttony is considered an indication of the country’s wealth, but in most cases it is simply gross and unacceptable. Nowadays, gluttony is seen as an emotional cry for help, as succinctly put by author Peter De Vries, who said, “Gluttony is an emotional escape, a sign something is eating us.”
Vocabulary lists containing gluttony
Eat Your Words
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Advanced English Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This level of gluttony is nothing new on the Damariscotta.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
Most of the unhappy denizens of Dante’s imagined hell are being eternally tormented for specific moral crimes in categories covering lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery.
From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2026
But that doesn’t account for the gluttony of Red Lobster’s former private equity owners, San Francisco-based Golden Gate Capital, or its subsequent corporate owners, the huge Bangkok-based seafood conglomerate Thai Union.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2024
Each cone represents one of the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2023
“I think sloth has already been accounted for, and gluttony is coming up next.”
From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
