Definition

Noun: 1. Extreme greed for wealth or material possessions: An intense and excessive desire for money or material gain, often implying an insatiable or morally reprehensible appetite.

Usage

Cupidity is a formal noun used to describe a powerful, often corrupting, desire for wealth. It is stronger than simple greed and suggests an avarice that can lead to unethical behavior.

Examples

• The tycoon's cupidity was legendary; he would ruin competitors without a second thought to increase his fortune.
• The scandal revealed the cupidity of the officials, who accepted bribes in exchange for political favors.
• His actions were not driven by need but by pure cupidity.

Advanced Usage

• "The cupidity of...": A common construction to attribute greedy motives to a person, group, or era.
  • Historians often cite the cupidity of the colonial powers as a primary cause for exploitation.
• Used in abstract or personified contexts:
  • The film is a critique of the cupidity that defines modern consumer culture.

Variants and Related Words

• Cupidinous (adjective, rare): Characterized by cupidity.
  • His cupidinous nature eventually led to his downfall.

Synonyms

• Avarice: Insatiable greed for riches.
• Rapacity: Aggressive greed.
• Greed: Excessive desire for more than one needs.
• Acquisitiveness: Strong desire to acquire possessions.

Antonyms

• Generosity: Readiness to give freely.
• Altruism: Selfless concern for others.
• Contentment: Satisfaction with what one has.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• While not a phrasal verb, is the essence behind idioms like:
  • "The love of money is the root of all evil.": A proverb describing the destructive potential of cupidity.
  • "To have an insatiable appetite for wealth.": A phrase closely related to the meaning of cupidity.

Noun

1. extreme greed for material wealth