ENGLISH
REFERENCE

greedy

adj.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈɡɹidi// UK //ɡɹˈiːdi// greedy Archaic

adj. wanting more of something than you actually need, especially food or money. It describes someone who is not willing to share because they want everything for themselves.

adj. having or showing an intense and selfish desire for wealth, power, or food beyond what is necessary or fair. Often carries a strong moral disapproval.


SIMPLE

Don't be greedy and eat all the cookies.

CONTEXTUAL

The greedy landlord raised the rent twice in one year just to increase his own profits.

COMPLEX

While the company claimed to care about the environment, its greedy pursuit of short-term gains led to several avoidable ecological disasters.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English gredy, from Anglian Old English grēdiġ (“greedy, hungry, eager”) (cognate West Saxon form grǣdiġ), from Proto-Germanic grēdagaz (“hungry”), from Proto-Germanic grēdaz, grēduz, grēdô (“hunger”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰer-. Equivalent to greed + -y. Cognate with Old Saxon grādag (“greedy”), Dutch graag (“gladly, willingly”), Old High German grātag (“greedy”), Danish grådig (“greedy”), Norwegian Bokmål grådig (“greedy”) (from Old Norse gráðigr (“greedy”), gráði (“greed, hunger”)), Gothic 𐌲𐍂𐌴𐌳𐌰𐌲𐍃 (grēdags, “hungry”). Sanskrit गृद्धि (gṛddhi, “greed”) is a false cognate.

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'for' when describing a specific desire, such as being 'greedy for power'.

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