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covet


cov·et

verb \ˈkə-vət\

Definition of COVET

transitive verb
1
: to wish for earnestly <covet an award>
2
: to desire (what belongs to another) inordinately or culpably
intransitive verb
: to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another
cov·et·able \-və-tə-bəl\ adjective
cov·et·er \-tər\ noun
cov·et·ing·ly \-tiŋ-lē\ adverb

Examples of COVET

  1. His religion warns against coveting material goods.
  2. <I've been coveting that sleek sports car in the showroom for some time now.>
  3. The oldest of the students, she had become a confidante of Fern's and she alone was allowed to call her by her first name. It was not a privilege the others coveted. —Edward P. Jones, The Known World, 2003

Origin of COVET

Middle English coveiten, from Anglo-French coveiter, from Vulgar Latin *cupidietare, from Latin cupiditat-, cupiditas desire, from cupidus desirous, from cupere to desire
First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with COVET

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