avaricious
Say it: av-uh-RISH-us /ˌavəˈrɪʃəs/ · adjective
What “avaricious” means
Always wanting more money or possessions, even when you have plenty.
More precisely: Extremely greedy for money or possessions.
Example: “The avaricious developer wanted to turn the community garden into luxury flats.”
When to use it
A formal, strongly disapproving word for someone whose hunger for wealth or possessions overwhelms fairness or generosity.
Similar words
greedy, grasping, acquisitive
Where it comes from
From avarice, from Latin avarus, 'greedy'.
Quick check
Already rich, a collector grabs every valuable item at a sale and refuses to leave anything for others. He seems…
ambitious or avaricious?
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avaricious
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