Definition

Noun: 1. A natural desire or craving; an inherent inclination or longing for something. This refers to a strong feeling of wanting or needing something, often something that provides pleasure or satisfaction. It is a formal or literary term. 2. A natural tendency or affinity. In more specialized contexts (e.g., biology, older philosophical texts), it can refer to an inherent disposition or inclination of a thing.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • He had a strong appetence for knowledge and spent hours in the library.
  • The novel explores the human appetence for power and its consequences.
  • Her appetence for adventure led her to travel to remote parts of the world.

Advanced Usage

• "An appetence for...": This is the most common construction, used to specify the object of the craving.
  • The artist had an insatiable appetence for new experiences to fuel his work.
• In philosophical or biological contexts, it can describe a fundamental drive.
  • The philosopher wrote about the basic appetences that govern human behavior.

Variants and Related Words

• Appetency (noun): An alternative, less common form with the same meaning.
  • He felt a strange appetency for the solitude of the mountains.
• Appetite (noun): A more common and general synonym, often used for physical hunger or strong desires.
• Appetitive (adjective): Relating to or characterized by desire or appetite.
  • The study focused on the appetitive behaviors in mammals.

Synonyms

• Craving
• Longing
• Desire
• Yearning
• Hankering
• Inclination
• Propensity

Antonyms

• Aversion
• Disgust
• Revulsion
• Indifference
• Distaste

Related Idioms or Phrases

• "An appetence for life": A strong, enthusiastic desire to experience and enjoy life fully. (This is a known literary phrase, as seen in the reference context.)
  • Despite his age, he maintained a youthful appetence for life.

Noun

1. a feeling of craving something
   • an appetite for life
   • the object of life is to satisfy as many appetencies as possible- Granville Hicks