ENGLISH
REFERENCE

thirst

n.
US //ˈθɝst// UK //θˈɜːst// thirst
  1. 1 need for water (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    the feeling you have when you need to drink something.

    the physiological sensation of dryness in the mouth and throat caused by a lack of liquids.

    Example

    After running for an hour in the sun, he had a terrible thirst.

    Example

    The hikers managed to quench their thirst at a small mountain stream after several hours of trekking through the heat.

    Usage

    Often used with the verb 'quench' to mean satisfying the need to drink.
  2. 2 strong desire (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a very strong wish or need for something, like information or success.

    a metaphorical craving or eager desire for an abstract quality or achievement.

    Example

    The young student had a great thirst for knowledge and read every book in the library.

    Example

    His unquenchable thirst for power eventually led to his downfall as he alienated his closest political allies.

    Usage

    Commonly followed by the preposition 'for'.
Origin

From Middle English thirst, thurst, from Old English þurst, from Proto-West Germanic þurstu, from Proto-Germanic þurstuz, from Proto-Indo-European *ters- (“dry”). Germanic cognates include Old High German thurst, Middle High German durst, German Durst, Old Saxon thurst, Old Dutch thursti, Middle Dutch dorst, dorste, Dutch dorst, Old Norse þorsti (Swedish törst, Icelandic þorsti, Danish tørst, Norwegian tørst). Indo-European cognates include Ancient Greek τέρσομαι (térsomai), Albanian djersë (“sweat”), Sanskrit तृष्णा (tṛṣṇā, “desire; thirst”), Sanskrit तृष्यति (tṛ́ṣyati), Latin terra, Latin torridus.

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

Word family

Last updated June 20, 2026