English Reference
Word noun

craving

n.
US /ˈkɹeɪvɪŋ/ UK /kɹˈeɪvɪŋ/ crav·ing UK spelling cravings
Definition
  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    a powerful feeling that you want or need something very much.

    an intense, urgent desire or yearning for something specific.

    Simple

    “During her pregnancy, she had a strange craving for pickles and ice cream.”

    In context

    “The patient reported a persistent craving for nicotine, which made the initial stages of the smoking cessation programme particularly challenging.”

    Usage

    Commonly followed by the preposition 'for'.

    Pitfall
    I have a craving of chocolate. I have a craving for chocolate.

    The noun 'craving' is followed by the preposition 'for', not 'of'.

    Synonyms
    urgeyearninglonging
    Antonyms
    dislikeaversion
Etymology
Etymology 1

From Middle English cravinge, from Old English crafing (“claim, demand”); equivalent to crave + -ing.

Etymology 2

From crave.

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

This entry
Origin Old English crafing
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated