coveted

[ kuhv-i-tid ]

adjective

1. wrongfully or inordinately desired:

   Pizarro led a party of conquistadores in an attempt to discover El Dorado—the source of the coveted gold of the Incas.

2. highly or eagerly wished for:

   The Green Building Council's gold certification is a coveted prize for sustainable building design.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of covet ( def ).

Other Words From

• un·cov·et·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of coveted¹

covet ( def ) + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

Despite flashes of brilliance as a rookie and a record-setting career at Ohio State, Dobbins was not a highly coveted commodity on the free-agent market.

From Los Angeles Times

When Will Dissly signed with the Chargers, the tight end was coveted for his physical blocking that would help set the perfect tone under Harbaugh.

From Los Angeles Times

Unlike other special-education categories, the gifted label was coveted by parents.

From Los Angeles Times

Gulls are kind of an interesting group because some of them are among the most coveted bird species on a bird list.

From Salon

The last-minute withdrawal means South Africa will not be represented at the 73rd Miss Universe pageant, where Ms Le Roux was among 120 beauty queens vying for the coveted title.

From BBC

Related Words

• crave
• envy
• lust after