English Reference

Word

avid

US/ˈævəd/

UK/ˈævɪd/

Definitions

01enthusiastic

B2

adj. very interested in something and doing it as much as possible.

adj. characterised by intense enthusiasm, interest, or dedication to a specific pursuit.

“As an avid reader, she usually finishes at least two books every week.”

“An avid collector of vintage vinyl, he spent his weekends scouring remote flea markets for rare first pressings.”

Usage

Usually placed before the noun it describes, such as 'avid fan' or 'avid supporter'.

02greedy

C2

adj. having a very strong and selfish desire for something like money or power.

adj. marked by an insatiable desire or greed for gain.

“The king was avid for power and took over all the neighbouring lands.”

“The corporation remained avid for new territory, showing little regard for the environmental consequences of its rapid expansion.”

Literary

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'for' when describing the object of desire.

Synonyms

Real-World Examples

“The pair, both avid climbers from Nepal, had taken different paths.”
BBC News · 11 Sept 2026

Etymology

From French avide, from Latin avidus (“eager, desirous; greedy”), from aveō (“wish, desire, long for, crave”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/avid

English Reference