Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act or habit of eating too much: "Gluttony" refers to the excessive consumption of food or drink, often to the point of waste or harm.
   • One of the seven deadly sins: In a religious or moral context, "gluttony" is personified as a vice representing overindulgence and greed, especially concerning food.

Usage

"Gluttony" is a formal and often critical term. It describes not just a single instance of overeating, but a habitual pattern of excessive consumption. It is commonly used in discussions about morality, health, and self-control.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The medieval church considered gluttony a serious sin.
  • His health problems were a direct result of years of gluttony.
  • The festival was not an excuse for gluttony, but a celebration of harvest.

Advanced Usage

• "A gluttony of...": This literary construction uses "gluttony" to imply an overwhelming abundance of something non-food related, emphasizing excess.
  • The gallery offered a gluttony of visual delights.
• Moral and Religious Context: "Gluttony" is often discussed alongside other vices like greed and sloth.
  • The sermon warned against the spiritual dangers of gluttony and drunkenness.

Variants and Related Words

• Glutton (n): A person who habitually eats or drinks to excess.
  • He was a glutton for rich desserts.
• Gluttonous (adj): Characterized by or given to gluttony.
  • The gluttonous feast lasted for hours.
• Gluttonously (adv): In a gluttonous manner.
  • He ate gluttonously, without pause.

Synonyms

• Overindulgence: Excessive indulgence, especially in food or drink.
• Voracity: Extreme eagerness or greed in eating or consuming.
• Rapacity (though more often for greed for money or possessions, it can imply insatiable appetite).
• Intemperance: Lack of moderation or restraint, particularly in drinking.

Antonyms

• Abstinence: The act of refraining from indulging an appetite.
• Temperance: Moderation or self-restraint, especially in eating and drinking.
• Frugality: The quality of being economical, avoiding waste (can apply to food).

Idioms and Phrases

• "A glutton for punishment": Someone who seems to enjoy or persistently engages in difficult, unpleasant, or tedious tasks. (Note: This idiom uses "glutton" metaphorically, not "gluttony" directly).
  • Working 80-hour weeks? You must be a glutton for punishment.

Noun

1. eating to excess (personified as one of the deadly sins)
2. habitual eating to excess