voracious

[ vaw-rey-shuhs, vuh- ]

adjective

1. craving or consuming large quantities of food:

   a voracious appetite.

2. exceedingly eager or avid:

   voracious readers; a voracious collector.

   Synonyms: insatiable, rapacious

voracious

/ vɒˈræsɪtɪ; vɒˈreɪʃəs /

adjective

1. devouring or craving food in great quantities
2. very eager or unremitting in some activity

   voracious reading

Derived Forms

• voracity, noun
• voˈraciously, adverb

Other Words From

• vo·ra·cious·ly adverb
• vo·ra·cious·ness noun
• un·vo·ra·cious adjective
• un·vo·ra·cious·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of voracious¹

First recorded in 1625–35; voraci(ty) + -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of voracious¹

C17: from Latin vorāx swallowing greedily, from vorāre to devour

Synonym Study

See ravenous.

Example Sentences

Payne, a gifted lyricist and voracious listener, had a steeper climb to find his own sound.

From Los Angeles Times

While fellow firefighters were battling voracious blazes throughout Northern California, Cal Fire engineer Robert Hernandez is accused of igniting his own fires, according to authorities.

From Los Angeles Times

But despite this voracious appetite for consuming news, I felt like I was not getting any more insight.

From Salon

Its forces eradicated herds of voracious feral goats that had been brought to the island years ago, and they restored some of the native flora.

From Los Angeles Times

Time spent alone growing up turned Duthiers into a voracious reader and consumer of movies and TV shows.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• avid
• insatiable
• prodigious
• rapacious
• ravenous