definitions

desire

[ dih-zahyuhr ]
/ dɪˈzaɪər /
||

verb (used with object), de·sired, de·sir·ing.

to wish or long for; crave; want.
to express a wish to obtain; ask for; request: The mayor desires your presence at the next meeting.

noun

a longing or craving, as for something that brings satisfaction or enjoyment: a desire for fame.
an expressed wish; request.
something desired.
sexual appetite or a sexual urge.

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Nearby words

desilver, desilverize, desinence, desipramine, desirable, desire, desire under the elms, desired, desirous, desist, desk

Origin of desire

1200–50; Middle English desiren < Old French desirer < Latin dēsīderāre; see desiderate
SYNONYMS FOR desire
1 covet, fancy.
2 solicit.
3 aspiration, hunger, appetite, thirst.
Related forms

Synonym study

1. See wish. 3. Desire, craving, longing, yearning suggest feelings that impel one to the attainment or possession of something. Desire is a strong feeling, worthy or unworthy, that impels to the attainment or possession of something that is (in reality or imagination) within reach: a desire for success. Craving implies a deep and imperative wish for something, based on a sense of need and hunger: a craving for food, companionship. A longing is an intense wish, generally repeated or enduring, for something that is at the moment beyond reach but may be attainable at some future time: a longing to visit Europe. Yearning suggests persistent, uneasy, and sometimes wistful or tender longing: a yearning for one's native land.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for self-desire

British Dictionary definitions for self-desire

desire

/ (dɪˈzaɪə) /

verb (tr)

to wish or long for; crave; want
to express a wish or make a request for; ask for

noun

a wish or longing; craving
an expressed wish; request
sexual appetite; lust
a person or thing that is desired
Related formsRelated adjective: orectic
Derived Formsdesirer, noun

Word Origin for desire

C13: from Old French desirer, from Latin dēsīderāre to desire earnestly; see desiderate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with self-desire

desire

see leave a lot to be desired.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.