appetite

noun

ap·​pe·​tite ˈa-pə-ˌtīt 

1

: any of the instinctive desires necessary to keep up organic life

especially : the desire to eat

He has a hearty appetite.

2

a

: an inherent craving

an insatiable appetite for work

b

: taste, preference

… the cultural appetites of the time …

—J. D. Hart

appetitive

ˈa-pə-ˌtī-tiv 

adjective

Synonyms

• hunger
• stomach
• craving

Examples of appetite in a Sentence

He has a healthy appetite.

Some common symptoms are tiredness, nausea, and loss of appetite.

I had no appetite and couldn't sleep.

Recent Examples on the Web

Investors with an appetite for lithium and other battery metals such as nickel and cobalt have been hoping for a recovery since prices started to collapse three years ago, eventually dragging lithium down by 80% and forcing mine closures around the world. —Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025

Ingredients in Kind’s GLP-1 Patches include berberine, pomegranate, and L-glutamine extract, all of which have been shown to aid in the production of GLP-1, a naturally occurring hormone that regulates appetite. —Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2025

Fever, anxiety, and stomach issues can also reduce appetite and nutrient absorption, worsening cachexia.8 Delirium: Severe confusion or delirium may cause disorientation, difficulty recognizing familiar people or places, or hallucinations. —Brandi Jones, Health, 9 Aug. 2025

Investors also appear to have an appetite for IPOs at the moment, noted Andrew Chanin, the CEO of the investment firm ProcureAM. —Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English appetit, appetite "inherent drive or urge (in physiology), desire for food or drink, longing," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French appetit, apetite (also continental Old French apetit), borrowed from Latin appetītus "natural or instinctive desire," from appetī-, variant stem of appetere "to try to reach, have a natural desire for, seek to obtain, strive after" (from ap- ap- + petere "to direct one's course to, seek to obtain") + -tu-, -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at feather entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing appetite

• hearty appetite
• lose one's appetite
• ravenous appetite
• whet one's appetite

Rhymes for appetite

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite

Kids Definition

appetite

noun

ap·​pe·​tite ˈap-ə-ˌtīt 

1

: a natural desire especially for food

2

: taste entry 2 sense 4

an appetite for adventure

Medical Definition

appetite

noun

ap·​pe·​tite ˈap-ə-ˌtīt 

: any of the instinctive desires necessary to keep up organic life

especially : the desire to eat

appetitive

-ˌtīt-iv 

adjective