greedy
/ˈɡriːdi/
adjective
Origin
Old English
grēdig — voracious, hungry
Overview
Meaning Now
- Having an excessive desire for food, wealth, or possessions.
- Showing an intense, selfish desire for something.
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
grēdig
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word evolved from the Proto-Germanic root relating specifically to physical hunger. By the Middle English period, the meaning expanded from strictly biological hunger to include the metaphorical 'hunger' for wealth and power.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*grēdiz
“hungry”
- Old English
grēdig
“hungry, voracious”
- Middle English
gredy
“eager, covetous”
- Modern English
greedy
“excessively desirous of food or wealth”
Connections
Word parts
greed
root
desire for food
-y
suffix
characterized by
Related across languages
Old Saxon
grādag
hungry
Old High German
grātag
hungry
Gothic
grēdag
hungry
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Related to greedy
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.