Etymology
Origin of concupiscent
First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin concupiscent- (stem of concupiscēns, present participle of concupiscere “to conceive an ardent desire for”), equivalent to concupere “to desire greatly” (equivalent of con- intensive prefix + cupere “to desire”) + -escent inchoative suffix; see con-, -escent
Explanation
The word concupiscent describes a feeling of intense, powerful desire or yearning for someone or something. This formal word, which means passionate or lustful, comes from the Latin concupere, "to be very desirous of," and its root, cupere, "to long for." Historically, the word was used in theological contexts when referring to worldly human appetites and desires. In literature, it might refer to characters experiencing an all-consuming, urgent desire for each other — think Romeo and Juliet. But someone could have a concupiscent drive or desire for success, money, or even knowledge.
Vocabulary lists containing concupiscent
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.
Nick Offerman, the comic he-man of Parks and Recreation, stars as Ignatius J Reilly, a gluttonous and concupiscent layabout, slothfully adrift in New Orleans.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 27, 2015
This uneasy alliance between corseted but concupiscent industry and one of its most irascible critics is, perhaps, more aptly illustrated in The Caine Mutiny, which Columbia Pictures will release this summer.
From Time Magazine Archive
Trembling with fear at the audacious ambition of his concupiscent companion, the Sloven replied, “If your wish should come to the ears of the King, we shall die; indeed, we should die.”
From Hawaiian Folk Tales A Collection of Native Legends by Thrum, Thomas G. (Thomas George)
There is no difficulty in seeing that the charioteer represents the reason, or that the black horse is the symbol of the sensual or concupiscent element of human nature.
From Phaedrus by Jowett, Benjamin
He said that our sensitive appetite was divided into two parts: the concupiscent and the irascible….
From The Spirit of St. Francis de Sales by Camus, Jean Pierre
Definitions 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.
