avarice

American  

[av-er-is] / ˈæv ər ɪs /

noun

1. insatiable greed for riches; inordinate, miserly desire to gain and hoard wealth.

   Synonyms:

   cupidity

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avarice British  

/ ˈævərɪs /

noun

1. extreme greed for riches; cupidity

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Other Word Forms

• avaricious adjective
• avariciously adverb
• avariciousness noun

Etymology

Origin of avarice

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin avāritia, equivalent to avār(us) “greedy” + -itia -ice

Example Sentences

And it’s a park we want to spend days in, thanks to its gorgeous landscaping, calming Rivers of America, and human tales of avarice, unity and romance spread throughout its attractions.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

Walsh’s attorneys said in a court filing that he wasn’t motivated by avarice, but desperation.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 9, 2023

"This is not so much a schedule of loss as a schedule of avarice," it stated in documents filed with the central London employment tribunal and seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

From Reuters • Oct. 18, 2022

Early Christian authors gave dragons human characteristics such as greed and in literature, dragons signaled the sin of avarice — they were creatures to fear and defeat.

From Salon • Sep. 24, 2022

“Our only chance is clever bargaining. Cliff trolls are cunning and ruthless, but their avarice can be a weakness.”

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull