Definition

1. Noun:
   • Reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins): A strong, morally wrong desire to possess wealth or material goods, often to an excessive degree.
   • Extreme greed for material wealth: An intense and selfish longing for riches and possessions.
   • An envious eagerness to possess something: A feeling of wanting something that belongs to someone else, often accompanied by envy.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • His covetousness for his neighbor's new car was obvious to everyone. (His intense desire to possess his neighbor's new car was clear.)
  • The sermon warned against the sin of covetousness. (The religious talk cautioned against the moral wrong of an insatiable desire for wealth.)
  • She felt a pang of covetousness when she saw her friend's beautiful jewelry. (She experienced a sudden feeling of envious desire for her friend's jewelry.)

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Moral/Religious Context: "Covetousness" is often used in ethical or religious discussions, notably as one of the "seven deadly sins," emphasizing its condemnation as a vice.
  • In many traditions, covetousness is seen as a root of other evils.
• Literary/Formal Tone: The word carries a formal, somewhat literary weight and is stronger than more common synonyms like "greed" or "envy."
  • The novel explores the theme of covetousness and its destructive consequences.

Variants and Related Words

• Covetous (adj): Having or showing a great desire to possess something, typically something belonging to someone else.
  • He cast a covetous glance at the antique vase.
• Covet (verb): To yearn to possess or have (something).
  • She coveted the position of team leader.

Synonyms

• Greed: An intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth or power.
• Avarice: Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
• Rapacity: Aggressive greed.
• Envy: A feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck.

Antonyms

• Generosity: The quality of being kind and generous.
• Contentment: A state of happiness and satisfaction.
• Altruism: The belief in or practice of selfless concern for the well-being of others.

Idioms and Phrases

• "The covetous man is always poor.": (Proverb) This means a person who always desires more possessions never feels satisfied or rich.
• "Covetousness breaks the bag.": (Proverb) This suggests that excessive greed can lead to the loss of what one already has.

Noun

1. reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins)
2. extreme greed for material wealth
3. an envious eagerness to possess something