esurient
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- esurience noun
- esuriency noun
- esuriently adverb
- nonesurient adjective
- nonesuriently adverb
Etymology
Origin of esurient
First recorded in 1665–75; from Latin ēsurient- (stem of ēsuriēns, present participle of ēsurīre ) “hungering,” equivalent to ēsur- “hunger” + -ent- -ent
Explanation
Esurient means extremely hungry. It would be dangerous to leave your esurient brother in charge of the three dozen cupcakes you baked for a birthday party. Esurient describes someone who's famished or capable of eating an unbelievable amount of food. That's why an esurient group of high school kids might consume an alarming number of pizzas, and a people-eating monster with an esurient glimmer in its eye would make you run the other way. The word implies a greediness that goes beyond mere hunger, and it comes from the Latin root word edere, "to eat."
Vocabulary lists containing esurient
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We're Excited! Synonyms for "Eager"
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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.
"Oscar—the amiable, irresponsible, esurient Oscar—with no more sense of a picture than of the fit of a coat, has the courage of the opinions . . . . of others!"
From Oscar Wilde, His Life and Confessions — Volume 1 by Harris, Frank
Oscar—the amiable, irresponsible, esurient Oscar—with no more sense of a picture than of the fit of a coat, has the courage of the opinions ... of others!
From The Gentle Art of Making Enemies by Whistler, James McNeill
Lowest of all are those whose esurient vanity, acting on a frivolous levity of mind, urges them to make Literature a plaything for display.
From The Principles of Success in Literature by Lewes, George Henry
"Oscar—the amiable, irresponsible, esurient Oscar—with no more sense of a picture than of the fit of a coat, has the courage of the opinions ... of others!"
From Oscar Wilde, His Life and Confessions Volume 1 by Harris, Frank
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.
