Where does “avarice” come from?
Avarice derives from Middle English avarice, from Latin avaritia (greed), derived from the adjective avarus (greedy, covetous), from the verb avere (to crave or desire), from Proto-Italic awēō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂ew-.
avarice (English): Excessive or inordinate desire of gain; greed for...
Definitions
- Excessive or inordinate desire of gain; greed for...
Ancestry of “avarice”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | avarice | — |
| 2 | Latin | avaritia | A greedy desire for possessions or gain; avarice,... |
| 3 | Latin | avarus | covetous, greedy, avaricious; a greedy man; miser |
| 4 | Latin | avere | present active infinitive of aveō; crave, long... |
| 5 | Latin | aveo | I desire, wish or long for, crave; I am well or... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | awēō | to desire, to wish |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ew- | to enjoy; to consume; to perceive, see, to be... |