glutton

¹ American  

[gluht-n] / ˈglʌt n /

noun

1. a person who eats and drinks excessively or voraciously.

   Synonyms:

   chowhound, gastronome, gourmand

2. a person with a remarkably great desire or capacity for something.

   a glutton for work;

   a glutton for punishment.

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glutton ² American  

[gluht-n] / ˈglʌt n /

noun

1. the wolverine, Gulo gulo, of Europe.

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glutton ¹ British  

/ ˈɡlʌtən /

noun

1. a person devoted to eating and drinking to excess; greedy person

2. ironic a person who has or appears to have a voracious appetite for something

   a glutton for punishment

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glutton ² British  

/ ˈɡlʌtən /

noun

1. another name for wolverine

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Other Word Forms

• gluttonous
  adjective
• gluttonously
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of glutton¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English glutun, from Old French glouton, from Latin gluttōn-, stem of gluttō, variant of glūtō, akin to glūtīre “to gulp down”

Origin of glutton²

First recorded in 1665–75; translation of German Vielfraß, from viel “much” (cognate with obsolete English fele; see also plus ( def. )) + fraß “eater” (noun derivative of fressen “to eat” (used of animals); cf. fress ( def. ), fret ¹ ( def. ))

Explanation

Do you like to eat and drink — I mean, really like to eat and drink? Then you might be a glutton. We all have our favorite foods and drinks, but some people are a little more into it than others — these people are gluttons. Someone who's a glutton because they just eat too much is different from a gourmet or gourmand, who enjoys only the best food. This word also is used in phrases like "glutton for punishment," which you might say about a student who asks for extra homework.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

glutton

But for all her apparent promise, it quickly became clear that Kelly was less a journalistic powerhouse than a glutton for controversy.

From Slate ● May 6, 2026

Six is a perfect number, and seven is a prime number, but only a glutton for punishment would put them together in front of a bunch of 13-year-olds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2025

She’s boisterous but not a glutton for attention.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2024

If you're a glutton for gluten, you're not alone; last year, Girl Scouts revealed they sold over 900,000 boxes of cookies.

From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2022

“Anansi is a glutton for stories,” I muttered.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia