rapacity

[ ruh-pas-i-tee ]

noun

1. the quality of being rapacious, or given to seizing things for plunder:

   That the monastery was raided six times, and burned 26 times in between, shows the rapacity of the Vikings.

2. extreme greediness; predatory quality or character:

   People blamed the higher prices on the rapacity of businesses.

3. (of animals) the fact or characteristic of subsisting by the capture of living prey:

   The early settlers of America suffered from the severity of the climate and the rapacity of wolves.

Other Words From

• un·ra·pa·cious·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rapacity¹

First recorded in 1490–1500, from Latin rapācitās, equivalent to rapāci- (stem of rapāx “greedy”; rapacious ( def ) ) + -tās -ty ²( def )

Example Sentences

Though I’m not sure I realized that till I was grown and married myself, and only because I could feel its absence My parents’ life together started with a rapacious, let’s elope kind of love.

From Time

Even as we cheer for her stamina, we shrink from her rapacity.

From The Daily Beast

Thus the rapacity of Capital defeats itself, and actually impoverishes its owners when it deprives Labor of a fair reward.

From Project Gutenberg

This is one of the truths which sloth, rapacity and extravagance are slow to learn, yet which they cannot safely ignore.

From Project Gutenberg

Could I dream that nothing would satisfy your rapacity but my destruction?

From Project Gutenberg

I would excuse the rapacity of the Mahajan if it has succeeded in keeping the gambling die or toddy from the ryot's home.

From Project Gutenberg

For Torrington's weakness and negligence caused ten times as much mischief as his rapacity.

From Project Gutenberg