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avarice

 - 4 dictionary results

av⋅a⋅rice

  [av-er-is]
–noun
insatiable greed for riches; inordinate, miserly desire to gain and hoard wealth.
Use avarice in a Sentence
Origin:
1250–1300; ME < OF < L avāritia, equiv. to avār(us) greedy + -itia -ice

Synonyms:
cupidity.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To avarice
av·a·rice   (āv'ə-rĭs)   
n.  Immoderate desire for wealth; cupidity.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin avāritia, from avārus, greedy, from avēre, to desire.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Main Entry:  avarice
Part of Speech:  n
Definition:  excessive or insatiable desire or greed; cupidity
Etymology:  Latin avere 'to covet'
Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon
Copyright © 2003-2010 Dictionary.com, LLC
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Word Origin & History

avarice 
c.1300, from O.Fr. avarice, from L. avaritia "greed," from avarus "greedy," adj. form of avere "crave, long for."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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