covetousness

English

Etymology

covetous + -ness

Noun

covetousness (usually uncountable, plural covetousnesses)

  1. Immoderate desire for the possession of something, especially for wealth.
    • 1588: La Placette, Jean Of the Incurable Scepticism of the Church of Rome
      He which will yield to Fear. muſt neceſſarily yield to Covetouſneſs or any inordinate Deſire.
    • 1661: Johnson, J. The morning-exercise at Cripple-gate
      Covetouſneſs is the yelow Jaundice of the foul, which ariſes from the over-flowing of the heart with love to yellow gold, by which a Chriſtian is dull'd and deadned.
    • 1815: Lavington, Samuel Sermons and other discourses, Volume 1
      Covetousness prevents all good, and is and inlet and encouragement to evil.
    • 1976: Ellul, Jacques The Ethics of Freedom page 134
      In obvious compensation and opposition the fear of nothingness becomes the source of covetousness...

Synonyms

Translations

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.