greed

American  

[greed] / grid /

noun

1. excessive or rapacious desire, especially for wealth or possessions.

   Synonyms:

   rapacity, ravenousness, voracity, covetousness, cupidity, avidity, avarice

   Antonyms:

   generosity

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greed British  

/ ɡriːd /

noun

1. excessive consumption of or desire for food; gluttony

2. excessive desire, as for wealth or power

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Usage

What does greed mean? Greed is an excessive desire for more, especially for more money and possessions.The adjective greedy is used to describe people who are filled with greed, as in greedy billionaires, or actions that are based on greed, as in It was a greedy scheme to squeeze more money out of people.  Greed and greedy are always used negatively to criticize the excessive desire for more.Greed is often thought to influence people to do bad things in their obsession to acquire more money or more stuff. In the expression “the love of money is the root of all evil,” the love of money is another way of saying greed.Less commonly, greed can mean the same thing as gluttony—an excessive desire for food.Example: Wall Street’s unrestrained greed has infected every part of American society, from politics to healthcare to education.

Related Words

Greed, greediness denote an excessive, extreme desire for something, often more than one's proper share. Greed means avid desire for gain or wealth (unless some other application is indicated) and is definitely uncomplimentary in implication: His greed drove him to exploit his workers. Greediness, when unqualified, suggests a craving for food; it may, however, be applied to all avid desires, and need not be always uncomplimentary: greediness for knowledge, fame, praise.

Other Word Forms

• greedless adjective
• greedsome adjective

Etymology

Origin of greed

First recorded in 1600–10; back formation from greedy

Example Sentences

“Oh, Hadel, you worry too much. There is no greed or pride in this, only beauty.”

From Literature

He said all these issues were grounded in the greed of the nation’s wealthiest residents.

From Los Angeles Times

Gomez’s sculpture thus becomes an important record of a precious moment: one in which the dregs of greed were laid bare for all to see.

From Los Angeles Times

He added: “Fear and greed move the markets, and we are seeing both of those in action right now.”

From MarketWatch

Regular true crime viewers and listeners seek familiar patterns of wrongdoing, often trying to outpace an episode’s narrator in concluding that a case’s central offense was spurred by passion or greed.

From Salon

Related Words

• avarice
• excess
• gluttony
• hunger
• longing
• selfishness